Vics cruise to victory

Dirk Nannes has continued to cause nightmares for Queensland as he helped himself to career-best figures to boost Victoria to a nine-wicket victory late in the second session on day three of the Weet-Bix Sheffield Shield clash at the Gabba.

Nannes was a man inspired as he helped rout the Bulls for 150 in their second innings, marching towards figures of 7-50 along the way.

The Bushrangers then needed just 43 runs to wrap up the full six points, a task that they accomplished with relative ease, losing only Chris Rogers on the way to bringing up victory at 1-45.

Brad Hodge (17 not out) was able to chalk up a huge personal milestone in becoming the greatest first-class run-scorer for Victoria.

Things were never going to be easy for the Bulls when they resumed the day at 1-6, still 102 runs behind the Bushrangers first innings total of 353, but Nannes' fearsome bowling made the task downright impossible.

Nannes, who had already claimed the wicket of Ryan Broad late on day two, wasted little time in reducing the home side to a meagre 4-56.

Bulls skipper Chris Simpson, James Hopes and Andrew Symonds all fell to edges, proving unable to negotiate Nannes' swing and bounce.

Martin Love (19) and Ashley Noffke (eight) also came and went before lunch as Queensland slumped to be 6-97 at the main break.

Nannes picked up from where he left off after the pause, dismissing Chris Hartley (six) and top-scorer Greg Moller (38) within half an hour to see the Bulls reduced to 8-118.

By the time Nannes had sent Ryan Harris' middle stump cart-wheeling out of the ground, the 32-year-old had grabbed his best ever first-class figures and the impressive match figures of 11-95, another personal best.

Chris Swan and Daniel Doran shared a handy final-wicket stand of 27 runs, but it proved to be too little too late as the visitors cantered towards an outright victory.

Nannes was the clear and only choice for man of the match, having been a constant thorn in the Queensland side for the whole three days.

The paceman claimed first innings figures of 4-45, including the opening two wickets of the match to help keep the Bushrangers in the fight after the home side appeared to be coasting at 1-141.

After helping engineer a collapse that saw the Bulls lose eight wickets for just 59 runs, Nannes did the job with the willow on day two.

Batting at No 11, Nannes shared in a record-breaking final-wicket partnership of 79 with centurion Rob Quiney to help give Victoria a valuable 108-run first innings lead.

The win sees the Bushrangers leapfrog Queensland into second spot on the Sheffield Shield ladder.

The two sides are next in action this Sunday when they will square-off again at the Gabba in a Ford Ranger Cup clash.

Queensland first innings 245

Victorian first innings 353

Queensland second innings
Hopes c McDonald b Nannes 32 (51)
Broad lbw Nannes 0 (1)
Simpson c Wade b Nannes 5 (28)
Love lbw McKay 19 (51)
Symonds c Wright b Nannes 0 (1)
Moller c Rogers b Nannes 38 (81)
Noffke c Jewell b Harwood 8 (17)
Hartley c McDonald b Nannes 6 (28)
Harris b Nannes 8 (11)
Swan c Quiney b McKay 18 (15)
Doran not out 8 (16)

Extras: 8 (1b, 4lb, 2nb, 1wd)
Total: 150 (all out; 49.4 overs)

FoW: 1-1, 2-31, 3-56, 4-56, 5-66, 6-87, 7-103, 8-118, 9-123, 10-150

Bowling:
Nannes 16 - 3 - 50 - 7
Wright 11 - 4 - 32 - 0
Harwood 10 - 5 - 24 - 1 (2nb)
McKay 8.4 - 3 - 28 - 2 (1wd)
McDonald 4 - 0 - 11 - 0

Victorian second innings
Jewell not out 27 (37)
Rogers b Harris 1 (15)
Hodge not out 17 (16)

Extras: 0
Total: 45 (one wicket; 11.2 overs)

FoW: 1-10

Bowling:
Noffke 5 - 3 - 14 - 0
Harris 5.2 - 0- 27 - 1
Swan 1 - 0 - 4 - 0