Bryant, Bulls too good for Blues

Queensland have kept their Marsh Cup campaign alive by defeating New South Wales by 31 runs via the DLS method in their rain-affected one-day clash at North Sydney Oval.

The Blues had blasted 5-298 from 43.2 overs when lightning and rain brought a premature close to their innings on Sunday, before they restricted the Blues to 8-165 off 19.5 overs in reply.

The home side's original DLS target following the first 80-minute delay was 329, before further showers halted play for a further 80 minutes with NSW 2-75 after 11.3 overs.

The target was revised to 225 off 24 overs and the new asking rate of 150 from the next 75 balls proved well beyond the home side when a third downpour ended proceedings permanently.

Blues captain Kurtis Patterson (19) and Matthew Gilkes (26) both holed out to pull shots prior to the second delay as Queensland asserted their dominance early in the chase.

In-form Daniel Hughes, who had amassed three tons from his previous four competition knocks, was scratchy early before finding his best form after play resumed.

Hughes looked the Blues' best hope of pulling off a miracle, top-scoring with 43.

But when he was run out in the 16th over via a direct hit from Sam Truloff, just one ball after Moises Henriques (28) skied a catch to Max Bryant, the home side's hopes went out the door.

Debutant Blake Edwards (3-30) ripped into the NSW middle order, which succumbed regularly while chasing quick runs.

The first rain delay denied the blazing Max Bryant (88no off 53 balls) the opportunity to notch a maiden ton, but he revelled in the victory nonetheless.

"It's always good to play at North Sydney as a batter," Bryant said.

"It's pretty small so you have to go 100 percent hard or nothing.

"You don't really have those in-between shots where you get caught on the boundary.

"I'm not going to go down without a fight - it's the Queensland way.

"Getting a win against NSW is always special."

After the early loss of Bryce Street (2) to a contentious lbw decision, fellow opener Sam Heazlett (54) and first-gamer Jack Clayton (52) impressed before Bryant ripped the match away from the Blues.

He hit five sixes in his swashbuckling knock, dominating a 122-run sixth-wicket stand with captain Jimmy Peirson (42), which came from just 12.1 overs and put Queensland right on top.

The result meant the Bulls leapfrogged NSW and Victoria to rise to fourth spot on the points table.