Five-ball overs and defiant Bulls' tail thwart NSW win.

(From Canberra Times)

Queensland's last two batsmen survived 43 tension-filled minutes to secure a draw against NSW in the Pura Cup match at Bankstown Oval yesterday amid a couple of five-ball overs and a dubious not-out verdict to Nathan Hauritz that conspired to deny the Blues the competition lead.

The Bulls were 9-156 with 69 balls remaining when last batsman Joe Dawes joined Hauritz at the crease and they managed to repel an onslaught from Stuart MacGill - who had taken 4-12 in 16 balls - and paceman Stuart Clark (3-51) to salvage some pride from a match NSW dominated from the opening exchanges.

MacGill, who appeared to have sent NSW careering towards victory with 3-0 in six balls and another wicket shortly thereafter in the final session, finished with 5-72 from 30 overs. In reality, according to the official scorers, MacGill bowled 29.8 overs because two of his overs were a ball short.

NSW captain Brad Haddin, whose failure to enforce the follow-on when the Blues led by 207 runs on the first innings was strongly questioned by Queensland skipper Jimmy Maher, was disbelieving about the five-ball overs but refused to use them as an excuse.

''Not to get the six points is disappointing,'' Haddin said, who cracked 80 not out from 73 balls in the first session.

''I didn't know that [five-ball overs]. Obviously if we can't get them out in 12 overs ... those things probably shouldn't happen but we can't do too much about it now. I wasn't aware of that.'' On Hauritz's not-out decision from umpire Bruce Oxenford from an alleged catch to Phil Jaques at short leg, Haddin was ...