Phil Hughes closed in on a hundred on his South Australia debut as his teammates crumbled around him at stumps on day two of the Sheffield Shield match against Queensland at the Gabba.

In the wake of his dumping from the Australian Test side Hughes opted to leave NSW for South Australia this season and the move looks to have paid dividends immediately.

Hughes will resume tomorrow on 95 not out as South Australia ended the day on 7-164, in response to Queensland’s 398 all out.

Illustrating a tighter technique and buoyed confidence from good form for Derbyshire in English county cricket, the left-hander attacked the Bulls before tea hitting 63 off 69 deliveries, including 11 fours.

Then in the final session with South Australia already five wickets down, and with the Queensland bowlers maintaining a tight line, he made steady progress, adding 32 off 75 balls to move towards three figures.

Hitting all around the ground, Hughes looked as impressive as fellow Test hopeful Usman Khawaja did in scoring 88 on day one, though the Bulls’ No.3 faced more difficult batting conditions.

The only batsman to give Hughes support was Tim Ludeman (28) with whom he put on 58 for the sixth wicket, before the wicketkeeper fell to leg-spinner Cameron Boyce.

Alister McDermott (2-23) began the South Australian collapse dismissing opener Michael Klinger (1) and Tom Cooper (5), before skipper James Hopes (3-26) knocked over Callum Ferguson (11), Travis Head (4) and Nathan Lyon (1).

All-rounder Sam Miller had a debut first-class innings to forget falling to Luke Feldman for one.

Earlier, Ben Cutting recorded his maiden first-class hundred with a devastating display of hitting.

Coming to the wicket at six for 242, the fast bowler scored 109 off 78 balls including 12 fours and four sixes.

No bowler escaped punishment but he was particularly severe on Australia spin bowler Nathan Lyon whose consecutive overs went for 32 runs.

The Redbacks even resorted to putting seven men on the boundary towards the end of the first session to stop Cutting reaching three figures, but he did so with a leg glance for two off the bowling of Miller from the last ball before lunch.

Resuming at five for 202, James Hopes (47), Chris Hartley (34) and Cameron Boyce (31) also helped lift the Bulls’ total to a potentially match-winning one.

Gary Putland was the pick of the Redbacks bowlers taking 5-100.