BRISBANE, Oct 27 AAP - Queensland spent a few confusing minutes at the Gabba tonight before learning it had beaten Tasmania by 12 runs in a lopsided and rain-marred ING Cup cricket clash.

The Bulls were the better team all day but had to wait until scorers confirmed the winning margin in a match that stuttered through three rain delays on a murky and cool Brisbane day.

The Bulls reached 3-117 from 26.5 overs on the back of another polished knock from Jimmy Maher (59 from 73 balls), in reply to Tasmania's mediocre 174 from 45.5 overs to grab the competition lead.

The small brigade of diehard fans still braving the rain was unsure of the size of Queensland's victory until the ground announcer said that, according to the complicated Duckworth-Lewis system, the Bulls had snuck home in a match they dominated from the first over.

Queensland chased revised targets of 156 from 40 overs, 131 from 31 overs and eventually 105 when the umpires abandoned play.

If the Bulls had not come back for a final two-over burst, they would have claimed a bonus point and a more comfortable victory.

"There was some confusion with regards to the bonus point," Maher said.

"I knew we had the bonus point if we didn't go back onto the field for that last bit but we went out there, faced five balls and all of a sudden we couldn't get the bonus point.

"But we pretty much had the game in control and leading up to the second rain delay I was conscious of what we had to do."

Maher's knock, which featured in a 91-run stand with Clinton Perren (36 not out from 58 balls), was the brightest point on the day the national selectors decided the squad to meet England at the Gabba in the first Test on November 7.

The squad will be announced tomorrow and Maher has presented a sound case for his first Test cap, following last week's one-day century against NSW with a mature knock through the drizzle.

The 28-year-old was dismissed on the final ball of the match, edging Adam Griffith to wicketkeeper Sean Clingeleffer, and new batsman Andrew Symonds had not even made it to the boundary rope when umpires abandoned play.

"I would love to play (in the Test) as a lot of guys would and I feel I'm hitting the ball really well," Maher said.

"But it's not up to me. All I can worry about is how I bat and, if it happens, it happens, otherwise I'll just try harder - if that's possible."

The Bulls were surprised when Tasmanian captain Jamie Cox, who made 78 from 91 balls, increased the tempo after the Tigers had reached 5-153 in the 40th over.

Cox swatted a catch to Nathan Hauritz at long off from the bowling of James Hopes (4-34 from 8.5 overs), who claimed three wickets from the last five balls of the Tigers' innings.

Young Bulls quick Scott Brant set up the win with a three-wicket burst with the new ball, claiming the key wicket of Shane Watson for eight, leaving the visitors 3-23 in the 10th over.

© 2002 AAP

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.