Gallant Bulls Stand Tall

After being bowled out for 95 on the first day of the decider at Karen Rolton Oval, Queensland fought their way back into a position of dominance early on deciding day of the Shield season.

Fighting centuries to Jack Clayton and Jack Wildermuth helped the Bulls set SA a challenging 270 to win the Shield and the visitors appeared to be in the box seat when Michael Neser and Mark Steketee reduced their opponents to 3-28 early on day four.

And it could have been 4-37 not long after as Steketee found the edge of Jason Sangha's bat when he was on 13, but Ben McDermott could not hang onto the low chance at second slip.

Sangha made Queensland pay dearly, hitting the winning runs to finish unbeaten on 126 and share a season-defining fourth-wicket partnership of 202 with Alex Carey (105).

"I said to the boys what we just achieved from being so far from our best (this season) to being very much in the hunt – 50-50 coming into day four for the Shield – is an amazing effort," Labuschagne said following Queensland's tense four-wicket loss in the final.

"We're one catch away there – get Sangha early and all of a sudden it's a completely different game.

We were so close; that's the proud part.

"I've played in Shield seasons before and we were the best the whole season, like South Australia.

"But this specific season, we were nowhere near (our best) but we found a way. 

"We kept digging in, we had match winning performances here and there and we found ourselves almost stealing the Shield off South Australia, so I couldn't be prouder.

"The Queensland spirit just lives so deep with, it's past down from generation to generation, that fighting spirit when we're behind the game."

"I've played in Shield seasons before and we were the best the whole season, like South Australia.

"But this specific season, we were nowhere near (our best) but we found a way. 

"We kept digging in, we had match winning performances here and there and we found ourselves almost stealing the Shield off South Australia, so I couldn't be prouder.

"The Queensland spirit just lives so deep with, it's past down from generation to generation, that fighting spirit when we're behind the game.

"We just found it – Jack Wildermuth unbelievable with back-to-back when both games (their round 10 clash and the Shield final) were done a dusted and he found a way to dig us out.

"James Peirson last week and then Mark Steketee and Jack Clayton to fight back (in the final), I'm so proud."

While South Australia justifiably enjoyed the spoils of their breakthrough Shield win, with the Karen Rolton Oval erupting in scenes reminiscent of Queensland's own history-making maiden Shield win 30 years earlier, the Bulls will look at heroes old and new when they revist the match.

Teenage paceman Callum Vidler stamped himself as a player of the future, and could well find himself reaching higher honours with the same rapidity of his deliveries that saw him claim wickets in each innings with his pace.

The efforts of Wildermuth and Clayton will also bear re-telling, with their day three centuries making for remarkable performances.

Clayton scored his fifth first class century, with the 26-year-old also becoming the first player to post a golden duck and a century in the same Sheffield Shield final.

Wildermuth became the first player to score consecutive Sheffield Shield centuries batting at number eight.

It also his fifth first-class century and highest score in a Shield final, passing his 73 from 107 balls in the 2017-18 decider against Tasmania.

He also took 4-21 in their 2020-21 Shield final triumph over NSW, and claimed three wickets in the first innings of this match.