ULLADULLA United's Matthew Gilkes and his NSW Blues have reinforced their standing as leaders in the Marsh Sheffield Shield, with a strong nine-wicket victory against second-placed Queensland at the SCG on Tuesday.
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Heading into the Big Bash break, the Blues have won five of their six matches and drawn the other, leaving them two wins clear of the Bulls with 40.35 points compared to Queensland's 26.18 points and in line to play a second successive Shield final.
Related content: Gilkes makes winning start to his Sheffield Shield career with NSW
The latest victory came with the Blues missing six of their internationals preparing for the first Test against New Zealand in Perth and Test century-maker Kurtis Patterson, who has been sidelined for much of the season with a quad strain.
The Blues dismissed the Bulls for 176 on Tuesday morning then made light work of a 42-run target under a thick cloud of smoke.
Queensland captain and former Blues batsman Usman Khawaja was out edging for 54, falling to Trent Copeland after adding one run to his overnight score.
Khawaja, who produced his first half-century of the Shield season, was caught behind during Copeland's third over of the morning.
Steve O'Keefe dismissed Mitch Swepson and Jimmy Peirson to finish with figures of 3/28 from 17.5 overs.
Moises Henriques was named player of the match for his game-changing knock of 116.
It was his second century of the season, making Henriques the Blues' leading run scorer with 453 runs at an average of 56.63.
Henriques knock, and 27 from 57 balls from Gilkes - in just his his second Shield game, steered NSW to 375 in their first innings, easily eclipsing the visitors' score of 240.
Gilkes will now join up with the Sydney Thunder, ahead of the Big Bash League opener on December 17 against the Brisbane Heat at The Gabba.