QUEENSLAND recovered from the calamity of an early hat-trick to steal control from South Australia on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield summer at Adelaide Oval on Friday.

The Bulls tumbled from 0-27 to 3-27 in three balls, but responded with two big partnerships and will resume at 4-314 on Saturday morning.

Nick Stevens (134 not out) was the backbone of the Queensland fightback, pairing first with Marnus Labuschagne (83) in a 99-run stand and then Chris Hartley (80 not out) to steer the Bulls out of trouble on a tough afternoon for South Australia’s bowlers.

HUSSEY SCREAMER HELPS VICS DOMINATE AT ‘G

Stevens cracked his maiden first-class century in his fourth match for Queensland having come into the clash with just 27 Sheffield Shield runs, including two ducks and a highest score of 25. But the 20-year-old was a picture of composure on a friendly Adelaide Oval batting wicket, showing no signs of nerves in the 90s and punching a sweet cover drive off Johan Botha to seal his century.

media_camera Sayers clean bowls Queensland opener Joe Burns. Photo: Mark Brake.

Stevens should have fallen on 112 when he edged leg-spinner Adam Zampa (1-84) to first slip but Mark Cosgrove grassed the crucial chance. Adding to the pain for South Australia, the drop came with 15 overs left in the day, just as the new ball was due.

It was the only real South Australian error after Queensland steadied from the Chadd Sayers hat-trick that rocked the first session. The Redbacks attack worked hard but found little penetration with an ageing ball after Sayers ripped through the top order.

Sayers wrote himself into history by claiming the wickets of Joe Burns, debutant Ben McDermott and Peter Forrest with the final three balls of his sixth over to leave the Bulls reeling.

In South Australia’s 800th Sheffield Shield match, the 27-year-old became just the 10th Redback to claim a hat-trick — and the first in 37 years.

The last South Australian to register a hat-trick was Andrew Sincock, in 1977, against a touring India side at Adelaide Oval. The last in Sheffield Shield competition was Wayne Prior, against NSW, during the 1975/76 season. Other notable South Australians with hat-tricks for the state include George Giffen, in 1887/88 and Clarrie Grimmett, against Queensland in Brisbane in 1928/29.