The ears of South Australia’s Gary Putland and Peter George might be burning after frustrating Queensland in their Sheffield Shield clash at the Gabba on Thursday.
But red faces were avoided by Queensland thanks to Alex Kemp and Joe Burns.
Needing to win to stay in contention for a Shield final berth, the Bulls were 2-58 by stumps on day one – only trailing SA by 104.
Opener Kemp (24 not out) and Burns (23) put on an unbroken 46-run stand after Putland (1-13) and George (1-16) picked up with the ball where they had left off with the bat.
The Redbacks lived up to their wooden-spoon status when they lost 5-3 to be reeling at 9-107 after Queensland won the toss.
However, lusty hitting and plenty of luck ensured tailenders Putland (31 not out) and George (22) put together 55 runs – South Australia’s highest 10th-wicket partnership against Queensland at the Gabba.
The previous highest was 52 by TA Carlton and TW Wall way back in 1931-32.
“It was a good day for us but it could have been better,” Queensland captain James Hopes said.
“We would have liked to have bowled them out sooner but if you told me we would be 2-60 chasing 160 I would have taken it.
“And what their (Putland-George) partnership showed was that the wicket started to level out a bit.”
The Bulls must end a worrying slide to clinch a vital win.
Queensland were leading the Shield table with 30 points before the Big Bash League Twenty20 competition in December but have not picked up a point since.
“It’s been very frustrating. We have given ourselves a chance to be in games but never taken them,” Hopes said of their Shield slump.
“So I was happy when George and Putland were scoring runs that no one in the field panicked – we knew we were bowling well and they were having some luck.
“We knew if we kept going we would get the wicket – and we were happy with the way Kemp and Burns finished the day.”
Test quick Ryan Harris (3-29 off 18.3 overs) finally ended the SA’s defiance by bowling George, after being ably supported by Hopes (3-28 off 18).
George and Putland then frustrated the Bulls with the ball.
Queensland were reeling at 2-12 after George trapped opener Wade Townsend (0) in front and Putland had Andrew Robinson (seven) caught behind.
But Kemp – in his second first-class game – and Burns kept the Bulls on track for at least first-innings points.
Kemp, 23, is looking to make up for lost time after making his first-class debut in his fourth season as a Bulls rookie-contracted batsman.