MATTHEW Gilkes and his NSW Blues fell short of achieving the domestic cricket double over the weekend, by losing the Sheffield Shield final to Queensland.
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Batting first at the Allan Border Field, the Ulladulla product's Blues side could only muster 143 in their first innings - with Gilkes contributing six of them.
Kurtis Patterson top-scored for the Blues with 43, while Michael Neser and Jack Wildermuth took 5-27 and 4-21 respectively for the hosts.
In reply, an outstanding 192 from Test player Marnus Labuschagne guided the Bulls to 389 in their first innings - a knock which included 21 boundaries.
Sean Abbott (4-71) and Nathan Lyin (3-116) were the picks of the NSW bowlers.
In their second dig, NSW compiled 213 - with openers Daniel Hughes (40) and Gilkes (37) leading the way.
But his innings was 34 runs from forcing the Bulls to match again, handing them the outright win and the 2020-21 Sheffield Shield.
In the second innings, Brendan Doggett (3-37), Xavier Bartlett (3-42) and Mitchell Swepson (3-68) all claimed three scalps.