Simpson rains on White's parade

Queensland all-rounder Chris Simpson crashed Victorian captain Cameron White's party on the opening day of the Pura Cup cricket match between the Bulls and Bushrangers at the Gabba today.

Up until the last hour of play, everything White touched turned to gold but a superb 83 from 21-year-old Simpson in only his second match for the Bulls stole Victoria's thunder.

At stumps, the Bushrangers were one for 31 in reply to Queensland's total of 277 but the Victorians could have been in a far more dominant position if not for Simpson's lower order heroics.

Simpson - who made his first-class debut last season against a star-studded NSW at the SCG - was called into the Queensland side as a replacement for offspinner Nathan Hauritz who suffered a hamstring injury in Friday night's ING Cup loss to Victoria.

He smashed nine fours and five sixes in his innings which started slowly as he and left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson came together with the Bulls in dire straits at 7-154.

Their slow and steady 52-run stand gave Queensland some respectability but Simpson continued the salvage operation in spectacular style when he and Joe Dawes put on 65 runs for the tenth wicket.

Their entertaining partnership equalled a 70-year-old record for Queensland against Victoria and featured some lusty hitting to all parts of the Gabba outfield.

The late Bulls charge was no fault of the Victorian skipper who led by example all day in his first appearance as Bushrangers captain in the first-class arena.

The 20-year-old leg-spinner won the toss and sent Queensland in on a typically lively Gabba strip.

The Victorian attack made the most of the conditions and the Bulls were struggling at three for 51 with White taking a superb diving catch at first slip off the bowling of Allan Wise to remove Bulls captain Martin Love for 11.

Debutant Steve Farrell joined forces with veteran Bull Stuart Law for a 78-run partnership but when White took another screamer at first slip off the bowling of Mathew Inness to send Law back to the pavillion, the rot set in for Queensland.

The Bulls lost four wickets for 25 runs with White trapping Farrell then dangerman Wade Seccombe in front of their stumps as the Queensland middle order crumbled.

He also claimed the wickets of Johnson and Shane Jurgensen to finish with the impressive figures of 4-27 off 17 overs.

But he could not stop Simpson who said he was not overloaded with instructions before his innings and had a simple game plan when he was in the middle.

"Watch the ball and hit it," Simpson revealed.

"Absolutely nothing was said to me which I think is a sign of the trust that these guys have in us and that probably made me feel better than anything because I knew there was no dramas.

Simpson was a specialist batsman and only started his offspin bowling 15 months ago at the direction of AIS coach and former Bulls boss Bennett King.