The sterling efforts of veterans James Hopes and Chris Hartley on Sunday put Queensland in the box seat to win the Sheffield Shield final against defending champions Tasmania at the Gabba.
But Test opener Ed Cowan stands in the way of a Bulls victory after the hosts dominated day three of the decider before bad light ended play early.
At stumps, the Tigers were 6-136 – a lead of 101 runs – with Cowan unbeaten on 59 and allrounder Luke Butterworth not out 11.
The decision by umpires Bruce Oxenford and Simon Fry to suspend play clearly irked Bulls coach Darren Lehmann, who vented his frustration to the officials as the players left the field under a grey sky in Brisbane.
But the Bulls have time on their side, needing only a draw to claim their first Shield title since 2005-06.
Hartley and Hopes are the only surviving members from that triumph and they, along with Test quick Ryan Harris, played key roles on Sunday as the Tigers slumped to 5-87.
Bulls captain Hopes bowled with venom and guile in claiming two wickets, including the prized scalp of former Test captain Ricky Ponting (6), while Hartley rescued the hosts with a gutsy century.
In the first ball of his spell, Hopes (2-47) clean-bowled Ponting as the Tigers skipper played across the line and missed an inswinger.
The medium-pacer also dismissed James Faulkner (3) while Harris (2-35) captured his first wickets of the match in a sizzling spell after being unlucky to miss out in the first innings.
Cowan and Tom Triffitt compiled a 51-run partnership before Harris went around the wicket to have Triffitt (35) caught in the slips by Andrew Robinson, his third catch of the innings.
Regular first-drop Alex Doolan (15) batted at No.7 after experiencing back spasms on Sunday but he never looked comfortable, eventually caught hooking in the deep off the bowling of first innings hero Alister McDermott.
Earlier on Sunday, Hartley sparked the hosts’ stunning revival with a superb knock of 111 in difficult batting conditions to guide the Bulls to a first-innings total of 276 – a handy lead of 35 runs.
It was Hartley’s first Shield century in more than two years and it could not have come at a better time for the Bulls, who were reeling at 5-55 in the second session on Saturday.
“It was one of the best hundreds I’ve seen in a Shield final,” Lehmann told Fox Sports.
Magoffin, despite suffering a back strain, chipped in with a valuable 31 in a 97-run partnership with Hartley, who was the last man dismissed when trapped lbw off the bowling of Jackson Bird (4-56).
