A 109-run partnership between Peter Forrest and James Hopes was saving Queensland on day one of the Sheffield Shield cricket match against Victoria.

The Bulls slumped to 5-90 soon after lunch on Monday, but Forrest and Hopes then batted through the middle session to stop the immediate crisis.

Forrest had made 80 in 216 minutes and Hopes scored a quickfire 62 not out from 82 balls.

Queensland won the toss in this top-of-the-table match against the Bushrangers, who are level with them on points.

The decision to bat backfired in the first hour when they slumped to 4-41, with left-arm opening bowler Will Sheridan on a hat-trick.

Nathan Reardon survived the hat-trick ball and he and Forrest then batted through to lunch.

They put on 49 before first-gamer Fawad Ahmed trapped Reardon lbw in the fifth over after lunch for 17.

Reardon took a few seconds to leave the crease and was clearly unhappy with the decision.

The two sides are missing several players because of national duties and there are four debutants in this match.

Ahmed and Clive Rose came into the Victorian side, while Dominic Michael and Ronan McDonald are the new Bulls.

Victorian Marcus Stoinis and Queensland’s Ryan Harris are the 12th men.