Queensland has moved closer to booking a berth in the Pura Cup Final after doing what New South Wales couldn't and triggering a batting collapse on the third day of the teams' match here in Sydney. With a sparkling maiden first-class century, Brad Haddin defied the Bulls late in the afternoon but not before the visitors had moved to within striking distance of claiming two crucial competition points.

At stumps, the Blues were at 8/398 and marooned a distant 130 runs away from the Bulls' mammoth tally of 528.

A brilliant partnership between openers Matthew Phelps (84) and Corey Richards (74), and then another between Haddin (102) and Michael Clarke (76), rallied the Blues from a low ebb.

But the effect of a disastrous 38-minute period in mid-afternoon (which saw the Blues surrender five wickets while just 22 runs were added) killed any remaining hopes of an appearance in this season's Pura Cup Final.

What paceman Michael Kasprowicz (2/88) started was quickly complemented by Nathan Hauritz (4/100) and Ashley Noffke as tight bowling, poor strokeplay and inept running between the wickets laid waste to the top and middle order.

After Phelps and Richards had forged a stand of 166 runs that proved easily the Blues' most successful opening partnership of the season - and the sixth highest in the state's history against Queensland - the latter set the tone for what was to come when he slashed at Kasprowicz and was excellently caught by Martin Love at a wide slip.

Phelps then miscued a drive at Hauritz to lob a catch to Noffke at mid on; veritable stumbling block Michael Bevan (0) proved anything but when he edged a Kasprowicz ball low to gully for a third-ball duck; and Mark Higgs (5) prodded a catch to short leg as he played off an inside edge at Hauritz.

The crash - which had occurred in concert with events at the start of an incident-packed Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne - was confirmed when captain Shane Lee (3) badly misjudged a potential single to Noffke at mid on and was comfortably run out by a direct hit.

Clarke was lucky not to play a Hauritz delivery into his stumps before he had scored and was desperately close to falling lbw to Kasprowicz. He was further inconvenienced by a sore toe on his left foot, a problem which ultimately caused him to call for a runner and to hit several of his shots in obvious pain.

But he still joined with Haddin in a rollicking 175-run stand for the sixth wicket that again helped to spare the Blues' blushes.

Haddin was superb, cracking 14 meaty boundaries in an innings that broke a spell of 12 unsuccessful attempts at translating half-centuries into three figures.

Yet it was still almost a metaphor for New South Wales' season that both fell to one too many attacking strokes late in the day - and just as the home team had looked to be working its way back into the contest for a second time.

Clarke fell to a miscued slog-sweep that resulted in a magnificent catch from Brendan Nash at square leg, while the wicketkeeper-batsman holed out at long on. Each succumbed to the off spin of Hauritz, whose reward for accurate rather than venomous bowling was the return of four wickets and career-best figures.

First innings points - which the Bulls would expect to gain early tomorrow - will give the visitors a six-point lead at the top of the competition table. With one round of matches remaining, only Western Australia and Tasmania remain any chance of catching them.

© 2002 CricInfo Ltd