Peirson rides the rollercoaster to keep Bulls in the hunt

It's been a fortnight of ups and downs for Queensland captain Jimmy Peirson.

The wicketkeeper has been hampered by three separate injuries but overcome all to claim another 'keeping milestone and take the best catch of his career.

All while keeping the Bulls' slim Marsh Sheffield Shield final hopes alive.

Peirson brought up 250 dismissals in the Shield during Queensland's win over South Australia last week, becoming just the fifth Bulls player to achieve the feat.

But a series of unfortunate events made reaching the landmark even more difficult.

He was struck down by a serious case of gastro during Queensland's Shield clash with Tasmania, he tore the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in his knee during the Marsh One-Day Cup match that followed and dislocated a finger while keeping up to the stumps in their Shield win in Adelaide.

"I think I've hit a black cat or something," Peirson told cricket.com.au.

"Over the last week and a half I got gastro, I got that from my daughter who brought that home from daycare.

"In the one-dayer I actually dived for a single and tore my PCL. That's niggling away but not stopping me from playing.

 "And then most recently down in Adelaide, I dislocated my finger.

"So I've had three in a week, which is not ideal, but I'm thinking my luck's about to change."

The bout of gastro, which rubbed him out for almost all of day two of that match against the Tigers, saw Peirson go from contemplating a day of recouperation at home to a mad dash to the Gabba.

"I wasn't really keeping an eye on the score," Peirson said.

"Then I got to a point where I was coming good a little bit, or to a point where I stopped vomiting at least, and thought I'll check my phone and see how the boys are going.

"I called Chuck (Queensland coach Wade Seccombe) and he said, 'rest up, you're not needed yet'.

"Before you knew it we were three-for and I said (to Seccombe) 'mate, I'm getting in the car, I'll see you there.'

"It was all a bit of a blur to be honest. I walked in, nicked my third ball for a duck. Then I got in my car and went home.

"I had good intentions but I wasn't much help unfortunately."

And while the resilient 31-year-old downplays the seriousness of his new knee and finger ailments, it's a testament to his longevity that he was able to join the 250 club with a catch off Alex Carey's blade at Adelaide Oval.

The Bulls have had an extraordinary run with wicketkeepers since Ian Healy's debut in 1987, with keeping duties in the following 37 years falling almost exclusively to Healy, Seccombe, Chris Hartley and Peirson.

The only other specialist wicketkeepers to get a game for the Bulls in that period have been Gavin Fitness (three matches) and Murray Bragg (one).

Peirson credits his continual improvement with his regular access to both his coach Seccombe and Hartley, who is a Queensland selector.

"Very privileged to have both of them still around," Peirson said.

"Harts obviously as a selector but also as a mate who I talk to about keeping and then Chuck (too).

"It's pretty cool to have those minds around day in, day out, to work through my keeping stuff."

Peirson isn't too far off taking the next step, having represented Australia A on numerous occasions and being drafted into the Australian squad during the Lord's Ashes Test last year.

And while he has no doubt that Carey and Josh Inglis are ahead of him right now, his messaging from national selectors is that he's the third seed when it comes to the Test team.

Peirson's 250 dismissals have included no shortage of highlights including sprawling dives and catches up to the stumps off the fast bowlers.

But when asked to consider his favourite catch across his career, he doesn't look any further than his most recent match.

"I think number one was this game most recently and it's funny to see it coincide with 250," Peirson said.

"I caught Nathan McSweeney early on day one, on a seaming wicket, out in front of first slip and low to my right.

"I think that’s probably the best one I've taken.

"I spoke to Chuck, and he agrees it's going to be hard to top."

With their seven-wicket win over South Australia, Queensland registered their first win in the Shield since thumping Victoria by an innings back in October.

Peirson admits it was nice to "get the monkey off the back" to get their second win of the season, but now the Bulls face an uphill challenge if they are to qualify for the competition's decider.

They require two outright victories, over Western Australia and New South Wales, plenty of bonus points and hope that other results go their way.

And although the victory over the Redbacks has given his side hope, they won't be playing recklessly aggressive cricket to close out the season.

"If there's an opportunity to push for something, of course we'll push for it, that Shield final is all important," Peirson said.

"But you can't go into games thinking you'll play a certain way, particularly red-ball and particularly at grounds like the WACA because that can leave you in a tough spot … and before you know it it's over on day three and you're nowhere near it."

Sheffield Shield 2023-24 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Drawn D	No results N/R	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 Western Australia Men WA	10	5	2	3	0	0	5.53	9.4	47.93
2 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	10	5	2	3	0	0	6.06	8.3	47.36
3 NSW Men NSW	10	4	3	3	0	0	6.31	9	42.31
4 Victoria Men VIC	10	4	4	2	0	0	4.74	8.2	38.94
5 South Australia Men SA	10	3	6	1	0	0	5.19	9.3	33.49
6 Queensland Bulls QLD	10	2	6	2	0	0	3.54	8.3	25.84

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points