NSW too strong for Bulls

Scorecard

The Bulls wicketkeeper (78 not out) put on 59 runs with Alister McDermott (41) for the final wicket before Queensland were finally bowled out for 284 - well short of their victory target of 435.

The lunch break was extended half an hour with the Blues on the verge of victory but Hartley and McDermott looked set to delay the inevitable with their stubborn stand.

However, their resistance was finally broken with two minutes left in the extended session when McDermott missed a Steven Smith full toss and was bowled.

Former Test bowler Trent Copeland was named man of the match after his hauls of 5-49 and 2-50.

Resuming at 5-113, Hartley looked on hopelessly as Chris Lynn (38) and Ben Cutting (17) fell before he put on 60 runs for the eighth wicket with Michael Neser (25).

Cameron Boyce (six) fell to fellow spinner Stephen O'Keefe (3-60) before Hartley and McDermott dug in.

NSW's Test batsmen David Warner, Smith and Brad Haddin all blew off rust with the bat in the Shield clash ahead of next week's Ashes opener at the Gabba.

Warner (52) and Smith (69) helped the Blues blast 386 in their first dig before Haddin got stuck in with a 46-ball unbeaten 50 on Friday and declared the second innings at 8-270, setting up the mammoth target.

And after taking his Shield tally to 317 runs at 63.40 - third overall highest - even Bulls quick Cutting conceded Smith was "in the form of his life" ahead of the Ashes opener.

"I have played as a specialist batsman for the last year now," Smith said.

"It's a choice I made to put my spin on the back foot for a little while and it's paid off.

"I feel like I am heading in the right direction. My batting is the most important thing right now."

Still, Smith is willing to make an exception for an Australian team sweating on Shane Watson (hamstring) ahead of the Ashes.

"If I need to roll the arm over and help out that's what I will do," said Smith who made his 2010 Test debut as a leg-spinning allrounder.

But now someone else's spin interests Smith more.

"They were pretty dry wickets in England. I am sure they won't have the same assistance as they did over there (for Swann's spin)," he said.

"It's a good opportunity for us to try and get on top of someone like that (Swann)."

And the prospect of facing England's tall timber of Stuart Broad, Chris Tremlett, Steve Finn and Boyd Rankin at a bouncy Gabba hardly fazed Smith.

"We expect some short pitched bowling. We know what's coming, we are ready for it," he said.

"The more he (Swann) bowls the more they give the quick bowlers a rest.

"If we attack him they have to bring the quicks back and that is going to be good for us - that's our gameplan."

NSW's Test spinner Nathan Lyon took hauls of 2-15 (nine overs) and 1-52 (23) for the match on the flat deck ahead of the Gabba Test.