Rain ensured a tea break on day four just as Queensland had a tense Sheffield Shield final victory in their sights against Tasmania at the Gabba on Monday.
Players were forced off with Queensland 7-126, needing just seven more runs to hold aloft Shield title No.7.
Steve Magoffin (22 not out) and Chris Hartley (16 not out) loom as the Bulls’ saviours after coming together with Queensland reeling at 7-88.
At one stage, Queensland lost 4-0 as allrounders James Faulkner (3-24) and Luke Butterworth (2-38) lit up a gloomy Gabba.
Queensland’s odd couple Hartley and Magoffin have made a habit of saving their side in the final.
Vertically-challenged wicketkeeper Hartley (111) and beanpole seamer Magoffin (31) put on a critical 97-run eighth-wicket first-innings stand that turned the match into Queensland’s favour on the weekend.
The Bulls resumed after the lunch break on Monday at 1-51 and looking to wrap up another Shield title within the middle session – but Tasmania clearly had other ideas.
Offspinner Jason Krejza (1-25) dismissed Andrew Robinson (31), ending a 61-run second-wicket stand before Faulkner claimed Joe Burns (eight).
Then all hell broke loose.
Opener Wade Townsend (36) was caught behind off Faulkner and, next ball, James Hopes was dropped by Nick Kruger in the gully.
But ex-Bulls batsman Kruger was breathing easier two balls later when Hopes (nought) was caught by a diving Ricky Ponting at mid-off in the same Faulkner over.
Not to be outdone, Butterworth was next to strike twice in an over.
A desperately out-of-form Chris Lynn (four) was caught by that man Kruger before Ryan Harris (nought) was bowled shouldering arms and, incredibly, Queensland had gone from 3-88 to 7-88.
A win would cap a remarkable turnaround for Magoffin.
Cut by Western Australia last season after battling injury, Magoffin returned to hometown Brisbane to play grade cricket before receiving a Bulls call-up.
The lanky quick has impressed with bat and ball in the final despite battling chronic back spasms.
Earlier, Queensland were set 133 to win after bowling Tasmania out for 167 in their second innings.
Hopes took 5-61 including the prized scalp of Test opener Ed Cowan (71) on Monday.
Tasmania resumed on day four at 6-136 before Hopes sparked a collapse of 4-8.
