Michael Neser and Mark Steketee were outstanding for Queensland but couldn’t quite pull it off
New South Wales 186 (Hughes 86*, Steketee 5-46) and 8 for 137 beat Queensland 193 (Khawaja 63) and 129 by two wickets
Moments earlier, with seven runs still needed, Tremain survived a run out appeal when he came back for a second to third man. Jimmy Peirson did superbly to flick the ball back onto the stumps and replays showed Tremain was short by a few inches but TV umpires are not part of the Sheffield Shield.
Neser and Steketee were superb throughout the match as they shared 14 wickets and regularly chipped away at New South Wales’ run chase.
The target of 137 – after Queensland had lost 7 for 28 in their second innings – immediately looked much more imposing when Steketee got one through Ryan Hackney in the second over and Daniel Hughes edged a terrific delivery from Neser in the third.
Jason Sangha was lbw to Jack Wildermuth and after Jack Edwards had been caught at slip off a no-ball from Steketee he fell to the same bowler when he clipped a catch to square leg to leave New South Wales 4 for 49.
Lachlan Hearne and Hayden Kerr briefly settled things but Neser returned to trapped Kerr lbw and Hearne’s hard work was undone as the left hander chipped a catch to mid-on where Marnus Labuschagne made good ground.
When Trent Copeland was also given lbw – a more borderline decision – New South Wales needed 17 with three wickets in hand at tea. Holt, playing just his third first-class match, faced 75 balls for his 20 to get the target down into single figures only for his departure to ratchet up the tension again.
Just two half-centuries were scored in the match and Queensland could only add another 24 runs after resuming on 5 for 105. Copeland and Tremain did the damage while James Bazley was run out after being given little chance when Neser called him through for a single to midwicket.