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Victoria 349 for 6 (Short 134, Merlo 54, Wildermuth 3-72) Queensland 330 (Renshaw 102, McDermott 86, Bryant 62, Murphy 3-45), a lead of 19 points.
Short’s 134 off 100 deliveries set the tone for Victoria’s total of 349 for 6 at Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena on Thursday.
The Bulls were 212 for 1 in 28th in reply and on their way to victory, until Murphy bowled a crafty second spell off spin to turn the game around.
Max Bryant went close for the Bulls by hitting eight fours and a six in a 60-ball 62 as he nursed the tail, but Murphy got a brilliant catch over his shoulder off the first ball of the 49th over from Sutherland to end the match, with Queensland all out for 330.
Short and open partner Tom Rogers earlier combined for a 127-run stand, with Rogers contributing 42. Late appearances from Sam Harper and Jonathan Merlo continued the momentum with Merlo finishing on 54 runs.
Short, 27, was the BBL Player of the Tournament last season and has earned selection for Australia in T20I and ODI cricket in recent months. He had scored a century earlier at the same venue in Victoria’s heavy defeat to Queensland in the Sheffield Shield.
Short was ruthless on anything short and dragged Kane Richardson’s delivery off the square and into the distant bush. The ball was lost and had to be replaced when Victoria raced to 68 for 0 after 10 overs.
Bulls seamer Gurinder Sandhu was the pick of the bowlers and kept things mostly tight, but Short played a brilliant back-foot cover drive for a boundary to showcase his stellar form.
For Queensland in response, McDermott hit the ball cleanly throughout his stormy innings, while Renshaw was imperious all over the ground and used his wrists to place the ball at will.
Victorian seamer Sam Elliott caught out Bulls captain Jimmy Pearson and Jack Wildermuth in successive deliveries as the hosts failed to capitalize on their impressive start.
Handscomb’s catch at first slip to dismiss Sandhu after wicket-keeper Harper dropped the ball was crucial to the score, as the Victorian skipper had Blinder on the field.
