Sheffield Shield results: Marnus Labuschagne steers Queensland to win over SA

While his fellow Test hopefuls flopped, Marnus Labuschagne delivered a match-winning performance that locked up his spot for the summer.

Usman Khawaja of Queensland walks off the field after being dismissed by Nick Winter of South Australia during day 3 of the Marsh Sheffield Shield cricket match between the Queensland Bulls and the South Australia Redbacks at the Gabba in Brisbane, Sunday, October 20, 2019. (AAP Image/Albert Perez) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

• Aussie Ashes villains make Poms pay... again
• Dre Russ to return in blockbuster BBL signing

Marnus Labuschagne has all but sealed his place in next month’s opening Test against Pakistan after steering Queensland to a gritty four-wicket win over South Australia on Monday.

Labuschagne was a class above on the final day, adding 39 runs to his overnight score enroute to an unbeaten 72 from 80 deliveries.

Set 150 to win after a late Redbacks rearguard on Sunday, the Bulls entered the final day of their Sheffield Shield clash at 5-102 but could only add 14 more runs before Jimmy Peirson mistimed a hook shot to depart for 27.

Live stream the Australia v Pakistan T20 & Test Series with KAYO SPORTS on your TV or favourite device. Get your 14-day free trial >

Marnus Labuschagne steered Queensland to victory on day four. Picture: AAP

The wicket inspired a spicy spell of short-pitched bowling from South Australian pair Nick Winter (4-37 from 11 overs) and Wes Agar (2-61 from 9.4 overs) but Labuschagne remained unperturbed, patiently building towards his half-century before smacking 22 runs from his next 13 deliveries to wrap up proceedings before 10am.

Earlier, Test hopefuls Joe Burns, Matthew Renshaw and Usman Khawaja again failed to push their case for selection after falling cheaply late on Day 3.

The Australian trio fluffed their lines in a tailor-made top-order audition for next month’s series opener against Pakistan with Burns (22) Renshaw (24) and Khawaja (0) featuring in a horror collapse of 5-7 on Sunday afternoon.

The stage had been well and truly set for Burns to make a big score in his 200th first class innings.

The 30-year-old hit two boundaries in his hour-long stay but looked troubled from the outset, surviving two deafening lbw shouts from Chadd Sayers before feathering a Nick Winter delivery through to Alex Carey in the 12th over.

Joe Burns missed a great chance to push his claims for a Test call-up. Picture: Getty Images

Khawaja then lasted just one ball as Winter removed him for a golden duck in identical fashion and the Queensland skipper made no attempt to hide his disgust at the decision, staring down the umpire before dejectedly walking off.

Labuschagne smacked Winter’s hat-trick ball to the boundary rope but South Australia didn’t have to wait long before claiming another scalp as Renshaw mistimed a flick to gifted Cameron Valente a leading edge at mid-wicket.

Charlie Hemphrey (0) joined Renshaw in the sheds four balls later after edging to Carey and when a scoreless Bryce Street was trapped lbw by Winter the very next over, Queensland found themselves reeling at 5-54.

Usman Khawaja lasted just one ball. Picture: AAP

Just five runs were added to the Redback’s lunchtime score of 2-60 when Travis Head picked out Bryce Street at gully on 12, sparking a string of wickets from debutant Xavier Bartlett (3-33 from 13 overs) and Cameron Gannon (3-41 from 16 overs).

.

Xavier Bartlett is congratulated by Bulls teammates after dismissing South Australia’s Jake Weatherald.

Alex Carey (20) and Tom Andrews (21) were the only South Australian to offer resistance as the Bulls steadily churned through the visitors and when Gannon collected Cameron Valente (8) and Nick Winter (0) in a four-ball blitz to leave them at 9-131, the innings seemed over.

Sayers (42 from 32) and Wes Agar (20* from 29) had other ideas with the pair combining for a swashbuckling 61-run partnership for the 10th wicket.

.

Xavier Bartlett on day three of the Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia

Sayers was belligerent in the face of Queensland’s pace attack, cracking eight boundaries, including three in a row off Mark Steketee before being dismissed to leave the Redbacks all out for 192.

Earlier in the day, debutant Street failed to add to his overnight score of 53 before late resistance from Steketee (15) and Bartlett (5*) pushed Queensland to a first-innings total of 264.

Chadd Sayers punches the air after removing Cameron Gannon.

.