Qld Win The Shield

Steve Magoffin & Chris Hartley

Queensland won a pulsating Sheffield Shield final which was dominated by bowlers over its four days but it took a tail end recovery for the trophy to be hoisted at the Gabba.

Neither side could top 300 and as often happens in low scoring games,  everyone was on the edge of their seats. Tasmania started what was to be the last day with a lead of only 101 but with Ed Cowan and Luke Butterworth, a hero of previous Shield finals, at the crease. James Hopes removed both of them, ending a 54 run seventh wicket partnership and Ryan Harris finished it, leaving Queensland just 133 to be the champions. The Shield's leading wicket taker, Jackson Bird, removed Alex Kemp early but Wade Townsend and Andrew Robinson steadied Queensland with a 61 run second wicket partnership. With 50 required and only two wickets down, Queensland were cruising until James Faulkner and Luke Butterworth took 5-5 between them in a seven over spell. Tasmania were not only back in the game but were at shortening odds to win it.

In the space of the next 18 overs, two veterans of domestic cricket, first innings hero Chris Hartley and fast bowling journeyman Steve Magoffin, defied Ponting's attempts to end it and gradually cut the target down, reaching it at the start of the 63rd over. It was slow, grinding cricket, with finger nails chewed to the bone as both sides pushed for victory. If Hartley and Magoffin were magnificent, they were matched by Faulkner and Butterworth.

The much vaunted Tasmanian batting line up missed George Bailey and although Ed Cowan batted with authority on a difficult wicket and Steve Cazzulino with doggedness, the Tasmanians were never able to break the shackles that Ryan Harris, Alastair McDermott and James Hopes locked them in. Despite good bowling from Bird, Butterworth and Faulkner, it was, in the end, partnerships of resistance from Chris Hartley and Steve Magoffin in both innings which kept Queensland in the game.