Brad Haddin’s quickfire 50 helped NSW into a near-unassailable position in their Sheffield Shield clash against Queensland as well as being a timely knock before next week’s Ashes opener.
The Australian wicketkeeper reached his 50th first-class half-century off just 43 deliveries as the Blues raced to a second innings of 8(dec)-270 to set the Bulls an unlikely victory target of 435.
By tea on day three the hosts were 1-7 with Joe Burns the man out, trapped lbw by Gurinder Sandhu for a duck.
Ex-Test batsman Usman Khawaja was lucky to make it to the break on four not out, when Nic Maddinson dropped a high catch off the bowling of Test spinner Nathan Lyon (0-2) in the final over before tea.
Haddin finished unbeaten on 50 when he called the NSW innings closed, his knock featuring five fours and three sixes, including two off consecutive deliveries from Queensland leg-spinner Cameron Boyce (2-85).
The Test veteran’s knock was a solid hit-out before the opening Test against England at the Gabba starting next Thursday after he could only manage 18 in the first innings.
Earlier in the day, Test teammates David Warner and Steve Smith made brief cameos before being dismissed with loose shots.
Warner, opening with impressive youngster Maddinson (72), raced to 21 thanks to some streaky boundaries but his luck ran out when he chopped an Alister McDermott delivery onto his stumps.
Smith raced to 36 off just 32 balls but was also undone by McDermott when he played all around a straight delivery and lost his leg-stump.
McDermott was the pick of the Queensland bowlers, finishing with 4-44 off 12 overs.