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As the final day of the regular Sheffield Shield season approaches, both Western Australia (WA) and New South Wales (NSW) are in critical positions to stop Queensland from securing a spot in the decider. To do so, both teams will need to chase down hefty totals in their respective matches on Tuesday.
Bulls
Queensland is currently in pole position, with centuries from Jimmy Peirson and Jack Wildermuth on day three against South Australia putting the Bulls in a strong position to secure a place in the final. South Australia, already having locked up hosting rights for the Sheffield Shield final, has little incentive to push for a result, and Queensland could still gain enough bonus points from their lower-order performance to finish in second place.
For WA and NSW, their hopes of advancing rest on achieving outright victories, which would see them leapfrog Queensland into second place. NSW has the advantage in this scenario, as they will qualify if both they and WA win their matches. However, Victoria is now out of contention, and Tasmania has already been eliminated from the race.
Queensland's journey to a win has been difficult, with a flat pitch and South Australia's strong performance leaving the Bulls needing to score 330 runs within 100 overs to ensure bonus points. The team was in a precarious position at 5-86, but Peirson and Wildermuth's efforts, alongside a solid contribution from Michael Neser, saw Queensland comfortably reach their target by day three, finishing their innings at 370. They are now chasing 114 runs from 25 overs in the final stages of the match to secure the necessary bonus points.
Despite Queensland's strong position, the team's skipper, Marnus Labuschagne, remained tense as he watched from the dressing room. Peirson reflected on the importance of the bonus points, acknowledging the pressure to achieve them given Victoria's potential to overtake them in the standings. He was impressed with the team's ability to adapt and secure the necessary points, even amid the uncertainty of the season's final round.
With 39.5 points, Queensland's total is now out of reach for Victoria, who failed to gain any batting bonus points in their match against WA. If Queensland qualifies for the final, it will be the first time in nearly two decades that a team with just three wins in a completed season makes it to the Shield decider.
South Australia, having already secured top spot, is using day four as an opportunity for their batters to hone their skills ahead of next week's final at Karen Rolton Oval. With no pressure to push for a result, the team can focus on preparation for the upcoming clash.
As the season draws to a close, the outcome of the final day will determine whether WA or NSW can pull off the necessary wins to thwart Queensland's bid for the final.
