A magnificent century by Nathan Reardon was not enough to stop Western Australia grabbing a dramatic five-run victory that dented Queensland's chances of making the one-day final.
Reardon's 113-ball 116 - his maiden ton - was in vain as the Bulls were bowled out for 279 in the final over at the Gabba, chasing Western Australia's 9 for 284.
With Queensland needing nine off the final over, Reardon chanced his arm too many times and was caught on the boundary off the first ball by Nathan Coulter-Nile (1 for 84).
In the end, tail-ender Alister McDermott needed a six off the final ball to complete the highest successful domestic one-day run chase at the Gabba, but it was not to be.
It was the third straight loss for the Bulls and the first win for dead last Western Australia.
Third-placed Queensland must now pull off a big win over second-placed Tasmania in Hobart on Wednesday to be any chance of joining South Australia in the February 25 one-day final.
Reardon gave his side a chance with a 117-run fourth-wicket stand with Joe Burns (82).
Reardon hit 10 fours and two sixes in his knock that lasted almost three hours.
"It was good to get a hundred for myself. That's like a monkey off the back for me, but it doesn't really count for much if we lose," a devastated Reardon said.
Of his lusty hit on the first ball of the final over, Reardon said: "I thought I had enough on it - it was like it got caught up in the wind."
Reardon still backed the Bulls to pull off a bonus-point win over Tasmania next week and make the one-day final.
"We only have ourselves to blame if we don't make it," he said of the Bulls, who won their first four one-day matches this season.
Earlier, captain Marcus North (93) helped Western Australia reach 9 for 284 off its 50 overs after losing opener Shaun Marsh for 7.
He combined with Adam Voges (62) in a 141-run, fourth-wicket stand before Ben Cutting (4 for 68 off 13 overs) sparked a Queensland fightback with the ball.
Western Australia was cruising at 3 for 205 but stumbled, at one stage losing 5 for 47.
However, the Warriors were still able to post their biggest one-day total at the Gabba, eclipsing their previous best of 6 for 264 posted in the 1999-2000 season.
The stand between North - who hit 12 fours and a six - and Voges was sensationally snapped in the 38th over.
Voges - who was dropped on 59 - was sent back at the non-striker's end by North, only to be caught short by a direct hit from Queensland stand-in skipper Ryan Broad.
Alister McDermott - fresh from his 7 for 24 haul in Queensland's dramatic one-wicket Sheffield Shield loss to Western Australia this week - took 2 for 69 off 13 overs.
North's nerves were jangling with the one-day thriller coming just two days after the Warriors' one-wicket Sheffield Shield victory.
"Reardo batted beautifully today. That is the best I have seen him bat. He was nearly the difference," North said.
"At the end of the day, we were lucky enough to have snuck home."
AAP
Tags: sport, cricket, brisbane-4000, qld, australia First posted February 11, 2012 22:51:00
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