Queensland hold on for the draw

Queensland 434 and 6 for 247 (Love 63, Perren 61, Law 54*) drew with Western Australia 9 for 427 dec and 6 for 312 dec
Scorecard

Queensland's quest to win their Pura Cup match against Western Australia failed as the game fizzled out to a draw at the WACA. Queensland picked up first-innings points yesterday, but they never genuinely threatened in pursuit of their fourth-innings run chase of 306 off 49 overs today.

In fact, it was Beau Casson, WA's left-arm spinner and Man of the Match, who sent a tremor through Queensland late in the day by reducing them to within four wickets of defeat with nine overs to go. But Queensland held on to finish at 6 for 247, 59 runs short of victory, with Stuart Law and Ashley Noffke at the crease.

The target was set after WA declared their second innings midway through the day at 6 for 312. The result leaves Queensland in third place in the table, behind Victoria and Tasmania. Queensland's next match is against Tasmania in the Apple Isle next Wednesday.

WA, meanwhile, remain firmly entrenched at the foot of the table and look destined for their first wooden spoon in the four-day competition since Tasmania joined the Sheffield Shield in the late 1970s. WA's next four-day match is against New South Wales next Friday at Perth.

Jimmy Maher, Queensland's captain, did not last long in the run chase while opener Clinton Perren, who scored 61, threw the bat and had several lives. He was dropped three times in a sloppy some fielding from WA. Perren was grassed twice off Casson's bowling by Kade Harvey and Michael Hussey, before Marcus North joined in by dropping him at second slip off Jo Angel. But Perren's luck finally ran out against Casson, with Chris Rogers taking a simple catch at point.

Martin Love then took up the mantle with 63 before a Harvey ball which kept low trapped him in front after an effortless half-century. Chris Simpson was out two balls later and his dismissal crushed any chances of a win.

James Hopes (23) came down the track to Casson and was left stranded before Wade Seccombe (4) fell in controversial circumstances to him second ball. The ball appeared to have missed his bat, but he was given out caught behind to become the latest in a series of poor decisions by umpire Andrew Craig.

Angel provided some light relief with his fielding in the last session by saving a four, only for the batsmen to run five. Angel trod on the ball with his boot to stop it just inches inside the rope. However by the time he was able to turn and retrieve the ball, the batsmen had comfortably completed the fifth run.