Queensland 152 & 7 for 451 dec (Khawaja 174, Peirson 132) drew with South Australia 280 & 6 for 244 (Carder 79, Carey 66*, Steketee 3-48)
Jimmy Peirson produced his second century of the season and Mark Steketee claimed a career-best 10-wicket haul but Queensland fell four wickets short of a stunning come-from-behind victory at Adelaide Oval as South Australia held on in an enthralling draw.
Jake Carder and Alex Carey produced fighting half-centuries, with Carey finishing 66 not out to hold off a desperate Bulls' attack late on the final day.
Queensland made a bold declaration after Peirson dashed to his second century of the season and his third in the past 12 months. He has made three centuries and four half-centuries in his last 12 Sheffield Shield innings, and averaged 59.63, to add his name to the list of wicketkeeper-batter candidates to replace Tim Paine in the Test side whenever the Australia captain retires.
Peirson and Usman Khawaja continued their fine partnership sharing a 195-run stand. Both men played with aggression on the final morning to set up the declaration. Khawaja fell for 174 to a fine catch at midwicket while Peirson raced to 132 before holing out at deep midwicket with the lead at 323. Khawaja immediately declared giving South Australia two-and-a-half sessions and more than 80 overs to chase the target.
The hosts lost Henry Hunt early with Carder and Nathan McSweeney put under extreme pressure as Steketee and Jack Wildermuth gave away just 10 runs in the first 10 overs. But the pair found their groove and put together an 88-run stand to give South Australia a platform with plenty of time remaining.
However, McSweeney was incorrectly adjudged lbw off an inside edge on 32, giving Steketee his ninth wicket of the match. Carder pushed on, taking a liking to Queensland's two spinners. He moved to 79 before making a mistake, spooning a return catch to Matt Kuhnemann.
That brought Travis Head and Alex Carey together with 194 to win and more than 50 overs remaining. But Steketee snuffed out nearly all of South Australia's hopes when he removed Head for the second time in the match to secure his first career 10-wicket haul. Head was caught at midwicket chipping a length ball off his pads.
Carey kept the runs flowing but when Harry Neilsen holed at deep square for 13, South Australia shut up shop. Nathan McAndrew faced 30 balls before scoring and chewed up 66 in total to get to the second new ball. Queensland were frustrated by the pair and the umpires making several frivolous appeals an over, with Marnus Labuschagne particularly exasperated that none of the appeals off his bowling were upheld.
Wildermuth knocked over McAndrew with a peach in his first over with the second new ball, but Carey and Daniel Worrall held out as shadows lengthened across the ground in 89th over of the innings.
Jimmy Peirson
Mark Steketee
Jake Carder
Alex Carey
South Australia
Queensland
Queensland vs South Aust
Sheffield Shield
Alex Malcolm is an Associate Editor at ESPNcricinfo
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