Good news for Australian cricket: Ryan Harris is back and firing.

Queensland’s returning Test fast bowler Harris narrowly missed out on a hat-trick but still stole the show to have NSW in deep trouble in the Sheffield Shield clash at the Gabba on Wednesday.

Harris thrashed a run-a-ball 50 to help the Bulls set a winning target of 371 before striking with the new ball to have the Blues reeling at 4-36 in their second dig by lunch on the final day.

• Mixed messages on the national hamstring 
• Clarke feud like ‘two schoolgirls’: Steyn

Harris began NSW’s second innings on a hat-trick but Ryan Carters survived the first ball – just.

Harris was denied the caught behind shout but soon had plenty to celebrate.

He had 3-17 (Nick Larkin (two), Scott Henry (two) and danger man Nic Maddinson (eight)) by lunch and six wickets for the match in an impressive first class return before the Australian Test squad is named on Monday for the series against India.

Harris has not played first-class cricket in eight months due to knee surgery but it certainly didn’t look that way.

Elsewhere, South Australia’s Test hopeful Phil Hughes failed again as Peter Siddle led Victoria’s push to win their Sheffield Shield match.

Test quick Siddle struck three times to reduce the Redbacks to 3-39 in their second innings at lunch on Wednesday’s final day at Adelaide Oval.

Siddle bowled Hughes for 11, after the lefthander made only seven in the first dig.

And the Test quick then trapped Mark Cosgrove lbw for eight before removing the in-form Callum Ferguson, caught behind for four.

Earlier, Victoria banked a 176-run first innings lead amid farcical scenes in the opening hour.

The Bushrangers declared at 7-607 an hour into the day with Peter Handscomb’s knock ending on 134 while Dan Christian was out for 89.

All of Victoria’s top seven batsmen, except Cameron White (8), passed 50.

The opening hour was marred by negative tactics as SA bowlers consistently bowled as wide of off stump as possible to negate any scoring, with seven fielders deployed on the boundary.

AAP