Victoria thunder to final-session victory over Bulls

Victoria have kept their Marsh Sheffield Shield title defence alive with a tense 44-run win over second-placed Queensland at the Gabba on Thursday, despite a superb century from Test opener Joe Burns.

The Vics finally broke through some strong resistance in the final hour of a topsy-turvy rain-affected final day with Queensland dismissed for 310.

Burns had the home side on track to overhaul a challenging 355-run victory target with the Bulls reaching 1-206 after resuming on day four at 1-134.

Burns crunched 23 boundaries in scoring 135 in a 197-ball innings, and shared in a confident 84-run stand with Lachlan Pfeffer (28).

However Peter Siddle (3-89) turned the tide by having Burns trapped lbw, before knocking over top-order pair Nathan McSweeney (12) and Sam Heazlett (1) in quick succession.

An hour-long rain delay during the middle session didn't help the home side's cause after Queensland were 6-256 when the storms passed through.

Jimmy Peirson remained Queensland's best hope of victory, only for the wicketkeeper to be dismissed lbw for 27 off the bowling of part-time spinner Matt Short.

Scott Boland (4-62) quickly ran through the tail as Queensland fell 16 overs short of batting out the match.

It is second win in succession for the Vics who are now back in the hunt for a spot in next month's final with two rounds remaining.

Vics keeper Seb Gotch was named player of the match for his first-innings century, his second in as many games, while he also took seven catches.