Bulls Soar At Stormy Gabba

The pink-ball, day/night Shied clash wth runaway competition leaders Victoria produced a memorable match in a week of remarkable cricket games around the country.

Whether it provides any form-line for the next pink-ball game at the venue, the Second Test of the Ashes series next week, remains to be seen, but Queensland and Victorian players will certainly have some tales to tell.

Renshaw hit his third century of the season with a composed knock against the well-credentialled Victorian attack, after Queensland's attack had worked as a unit to keep the visitors to 9-318 dec.

Victoria's innings featured Bulls debutant Sam Geyer claiming 4-102 with the young allrounder working well in tandem with Sandhu (2-55) and captain Mitch Swepson (2-60).

The Bulls batting, led by Renshaw, had put Queensland in a sound position at stumps on day two, with the score of 7-352 having established a small lead.

Renshaw had made scores of 128, 29, 101 and 51 in the Shield before Sunday's knock.

He also had a consistent ODI series against India which included an accomplished 56 in Sydney.

With Renshaw setting the tone, Bartlett then ably demonstrated his all-round ability, batting sensibly but also pouncing on scoring opportunities as he and Sandhu carefully extended the lead.

With a massive thunderstorm causing a temporary halt of around an hour during the afternoon today, the resumption of the Queensland innings in bright sunshine provided the Bulls with added incentive to push ahead.

Bartlett finished with 72 while Sandhu contributed 33 as Queensland finished at 430, a lead of 112.

Queensland set about their task with a new pink ball as dusk began to loom, and Bartlett provided the ideal start with the big wicket of the in-form Campbell Kellaway (0) for the second time in the match.

First innngs run scorer Sam Harper fell cheaply to Tom Straker before Sandhu settled in for the first of several inspired spells of seam bowling.

Bowling in partnership with Bartlett, the Queensland quicks laid waste to the Victorian line-up, bundling the visitors out for 143.

Player of the match Sandhu finished with the outstanding figures of 5-23 from 16 overs, including three wickets in a maiden over, while Bartlett snapped up 4-35 from 13 overs.

Queensland needed 32 runs to win as the clock began to tick down towards an 11pm stumps time.

Wickets continued to fall with the pink ball, as the Bulls had some nervous moments.

But at 10.46pm local time, the winning runs were struck to see Queensland finish at 3-32, and put to bed a seven-wicket outright win that should set-up the second half of the season.