Shaun Tait made a welcome return for South Australia with three wickets against Queensland on an opening day where their bowling attack again bowled encouragingly. Chris Simpson and James Hopes held them up, though, with a 118-run fifth-wicket stand which eventually helped the home side push past which was more than the Redbacks would have hoped for when they had them 4 for 96 under overcast skies and on a green track.

Tait continued to press his Test claims with 3 for 69 on his return from elbow injury and he was well backed up by Jason Gillespie and Nathan Adcock, who each grabbed two wickets. This was the first match of the post-Lehmann era but rather than rue his loss, the Redbacks built on the momentum of his farewell victory, their first in the Pura Cup this season. Despite the fightback from Simpson and Hopes, they came back to take the last six wickets for 94.

How Lehmann's side will fare batting-wise, however, remains to be seen as Adcock chose to field, although in the ten overs of their innings, Shane Deitz cracked a six as sign of intent. Deitz, returning to the side following Cam Borgas's failures in the top spot, reached 16 not out, surviving a shout from Ashley Noffke, and he was joined by Matt Elliott, who was unbeaten on 15.

Hopes was dropped on 47 by Ryan Harris in the gully off Gillespie. He moved on to his fifty but Tait picked him off on 59, a vital incision as he and Simpson had begun to cut loose. As is so often following a big stand, the other partner fell soon after, Simpson also snapped up by Tait. Both wickets were edges through to Deitz, filling in for Graham Manou who injured his hand trying to poch a bouncer off Harris.

Shane Watson made his third successive fourth-ball duck when Tait induced his edge to second slip off a full outswinger. Nick Kruger made 11 in his first innings in more than four years following three shoulder reconstructions. He had already edged the previous ball through to Manou before Harris claimed him.

Clinton Perren reached 41 before he was involved in a mix-up of a run-out with his captain Jimmy Maher, who himself made 16 before dragging on off Paul Rofe.