New South Wales and Queensland have produced a thrilling finale to their Pura Cup encounter here at the Sydney Cricket Ground today. But the visitors' place in the competition final is still not sealed, and the home team is now officially out of contention altogether, after the game ended in a draw deep into the Sydney night.

The Blues finished at 9/202 - with both teams threatening to steal a surprise outright victory - in their second innings as they chased a total of 207 to win.

Queensland had assumed first innings points at the outset of the day when it ended New South Wales' first innings at 442. On a pitch suddenly infused with life on a predominantly wet and cloudy day, the Bulls then collapsed to be all out for 120 batting a second time, opening up an outright chance for their opponents in the 46 overs that remained.

But neither outstanding pace bowling from Michael Kasprowicz (3/72) nor an extraordinary unbroken stand of 54 runs for the last wicket between Matthew Phelps (65*) and Stuart Clark (23*) could swing the result decisively one team's way.

It was a great day for three individuals, in particular. Jimmy Maher and Nathan Hauritz won places in the national one-day squad then proceeded to play important roles for the Bulls, while Clark - luckless through the early stages of the match - had a big say in its finish.

Linking with fellow pace bowlers Don Nash (3/45) and Nathan Bracken (2/32), it was competition leading wicket-taker Clark (5/42) who was chiefly responsible for Queensland's second innings slide. Rain had wiped out much of the first session but, when the skies cleared, the tall right armer cut a swathe through the Bulls.

Brendan Nash (4) fell to a fine catch in the gully; Martin Love (42) unwisely padded up at an off cutter after a flurry of strokes; Andrew Symonds (3) lobbed a catch to short mid on; Stuart Law (4) gloved a ball that reared from a length; and a tangled-up Kasprowicz (1) fended a nasty lifting ball into the top of his castle.

At the other end, Nash caused Maher (14) to play into his stumps from an inside edge with a ball that seamed back in; forced Lee Carseldine (25) to spoon a catch to cover; and then accounted for Ashley Noffke (4) when the tall right hander was bowled shouldering arms.

In the end, the Queenslanders were lucky that they had the cool head and classy cover driving of Hauritz (18) on which they could rely for important late runs.

For as well as the Blues bowled, though, it was obvious that the previously lifeless pitch had been resuscitated. Almost as soon as the chase began, makeshift opener Brad Haddin (3) and number three Michael Bevan (0) succumbed. Bevan even experienced the frustration of being dismissed for a rare first-class pair and departed cheaply to Kasprowicz for the third time in a week.

He was one of three victims for both bowler Kasprowicz and slips fieldsman Maher.

Noffke (2/28) chimed in with two important wickets of his own and Joe Dawes (3/66) with three as the Blues continued to lose wickets at the wrong times. Perversely, though, the home team's batting became better the longer the match drifted toward its 8:01pm finish under the SCG lights.

Phelps played the decisive role, alternating brilliantly between defence and attack in an important union of 25 for the sixth wicket with Shane Lee (41). With the required run rate billowing beyond seven an over at various times late in the chase, he then assumed seniority in a 36-run liaison with Bracken (16) for the eighth before lashing, nudging and scurrying in equal measure with Clark in their enterprising late dice with glory.

Visiting captain Law strangely spread the field with just one wicket required, even committing nine fielders to the boundary as his team protected the ten runs that the Blues needed for victory from the last over.

In the end, Queensland was unable to gain the points that it needed to eliminate the prospect that either Tasmania or Western Australia could still pass it on the competition table. With one round of matches to go, the Bulls now hold a six point lead over each of those two states.

For New South Wales, an all-or-nothing bid for points ended in the latter outcome. It remains anchored at the foot of the table, just two points behind Victoria but 12 adrift of second-placed Tasmania.

Earlier in the day, New South Wales had surrendered first innings points after a similarly spirited late assault from its tail. Bracken (32*) hammered balls into and over the boundary at will to ensure that a total of 44 runs were added from 41 balls before Dawes (2/90) finally ended the fun and claimed an 86-run first innings lead for his team.

The battle for any points from the fourth innings was a lot less clear cut.

© 2002 CricInfo Ltd