Rob Forsaith at the Gabba
A remarkable century from Lee Carseldine has helped put Queensland on top at stumps on day one of its Weet-Bix Sheffield Shield clash against South Australia at the Gabba.
Carseldine's knock allowed Queensland to compile a competitive first inning score of 352 and the Bulls were then able to make a vital breakthrough with the last ball of the day to take first day honours.
James Hopes plotted the end of Dan Harris (31) to see the visitors slump to 1-57 in reply at stumps, with Younus Khan (16 not out) the unbeaten man.
But the day belonged to Carseldine.
His four-hour stay at the crease yielded his highest first-class score of 152, helping rescue the Bulls after they had been in the perilous position of 5-78 earlier in the day.
The 33-year-old formed a vital partnership of 77 with skipper Chris Simpson (49) and a record-breaking stand of 94 with SA recruit Ryan Harris (51) to see the home side take control of the match.
Carseldine, who returned to first-class cricket earlier this season after a five-year layoff with a debilitating back injury, took the fight up to the visitors in brash fashion, stroking only boundaries and singles en route to his second Shield ton.
The left-hander then took just 37 deliveries to power to 150, before his impressive innings came to an end after 174 balls, he had caressed and muscled a total of 28 fours and slammed one booming six.
Carseldine's defiant knock would have been most frustrating for Callum Ferguson, who grassed a standard chance at point when Carseldine was on just 21.
Ironically it was Ferguson who held a good catch in the deep to see the end of Carseldine.
Carseldine's work was ably supported by Simpson early on, who played in a similarly aggressive mindset before falling one run short of what would have been his first half-century for the season.
Simpson came out firing after the lunch break, slapping three consecutive fours off Paul Rofe before his 35-ball crash and bash stay at the crease came to an end six overs later when he was trapped lbw by Rofe.
Carseldine found component anchors in Ashley Noffke (12) and Chris Hartley (five), who helped boost the home side to 8-233, but it was Harris who really came to the party and joined in on the bonanza of runs.
Harris, in his first outing against his former state after crossing over during the off-season, made the visitors pay for dropping him on 28, notching his first half-century for the Bulls.
The all-rounder's hour of aggression at the crease saw him and Carseldine pile on 94, the best ninth wicket stand ever at the Gabba.
Harris holed out to Shaun Tait to hand Rofe his third wicket for the match, but there was more damage to come, with Chris Swan (one not out) hanging around to see Carseldine pass 150 and push the Bulls' total to an imposing 352.
Earlier it looked as if the Bulls would be rolled quickly and cheaply when South Australian skipper Graham Manou's decision to send Queensland in paid early dividends as the home side struggled in the first session.
Queensland started well enough, with openers Nick Kruger (21) and Ryan Broad (16) seeing off Tait's first spell with the shiny new ball, but then hemorrhaged wickets, loosing 5-49 to see the visitors take the early honours.
The dismissals flowed thick and fast, headlined by Shane Watson, who failed to fire in his return to domestic cricket after being dropped from the Australian Test side, falling for a swift 19.
Watson played with reckless abandon and failed to punish Cameron Borgas, who grassed a chance when the Australian all-rounder was yet to get off the mark.
His inability to post a score, along with the failures of Martin Love (2) and Hopes (12) mattered little in the end as Carseldine saved their blushes.
The wickets were shared around by South Australia, Tait (1-73) failed to electrify, while Rofe (3-96), Allan Wise (3-72) and Dan Christian (3-82) took three each, but copped the brunt of Carseldine's assault.
Queensland first innings
Kruger c Manou b Rofe 21
Broad b Wise 16
Love c Manou b Christian 2
Watson c Rofe b Christian 19
Carseldine c Ferguson b Christian 152
Hopes c Manou b Wise 12
Simpson lbw b Rofe 49
Noffke c Khan b Tait 12
Hartley c Christian b Wise 5
Harris c Tait b Rofe 51
Swan not out 1
Extras: 12 (8lb, 3nb, 1w)
Total: 352 (all out; 74.2 overs)
FOW: 1-29, 2-39, 3-55, 4-60, 5-78, 6-155, 7-200, 8-233, 9-327, 10-352
Bowling
Tait 16 - 2 - 73 - 1
Rofe 19 - 4 - 96 - 3
Wise 18 - 1 - 72 - 3 (1w)
Christian 13.2 - 1 - 82 - 3 (3nb)
Harris 5 - 2 - 15 - 0
O'Brien 3 - 0 - 6 - 0
South Australia first innings
Harris c Watson b Hopes 31
Khan not out 16
Extras: 10 (3nb, 7w)
Total: 57 (one wicket; 15.3 overs)
FOW: 1-57
Bowling
Noffke 5 - 2 - 19 - 0 (3nb)
Harris 5 - 0 - 26 - 0 (5w)
Swan 3 - 0 - 12 - 0 (2w)
Hopes 2.3 - 2 - 0 - 1