Seccombe turns the tide Queensland's way

Close South Australia 301 and 4 for 17 require another 267 runs to beat Queensland 310 and 274 (Seccombe 115)
Scorecard

A defiant century by Wade Seccombe and four quick strikes by the Queensland attack lifted the them out of a crisis and into control of their Pura Cup match against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval.

Chasing 284 to win, South Australia were in deep trouble at 4 for 17 at stumps on day three, with Mark Higgs on 1 and Andy Flower on two. Michael Kasprowicz and Andy Bichel each took two wickets in a nine-over burst before the end of play, leaving SA on the ropes. They need another 267 runs to win, while Queensland were only six wickets from their first win of the season.

A total of 17 wickets fell today. After SA resumed on 7 for 283, their innings was quickly wrapped up for 301, giving Queensland a nine-run first-innings lead, with Bichel taking 2 for 3 in three overs to finish with 6 for 61.

The Queensland top order then self-destructed, with Jimmy Maher, Clinton Perren, Martin Love, Andrew Symonds and James Hopes all falling cheaply, leaving them staggering at 5 for 46 in their second innings. But Seccombe (115) and Stuart Law (72) led the Queensland fightback with a 138-run sixth-wicket partnership, with the pair continuing their good form after both made half-centuries in the first innings. Seccombe and a free-hitting Bichel (44) then added a 69-run seventh-wicket stand to help Queensland to 274 all out.

"One thing we talk about as a group is a lot of belief in ourselves," Seccombe said of the team's ability to extricate themselves from trouble today. "We mentioned it prior to this game and always obviously believing we can pull ourselves out of any situation and win from any situation. Obviously we take that belief into everything we do."

Seccombe was given a life by Mark Higgs at second slip, who dropped a straightforward chance off Shaun Tait's bowling, when he was on 12 and the score was 5 for 84, in what proved an extremely costly fumble. His match-turning century was his fourth in first-class cricket and his first against SA, and came off 185 balls, with 13 boundaries and a six.

Greg Blewett, SA's captain was hopeful they could stage a similar late-order recovery tomorrow to snatch the match. He said: "It would have been nice to have a few more wickets in hand tomorrow, but one good partnership I think and the game's still up for grabs."