Queensland dented NSW's prospects of a fourth straight ING Cup cricket title with a thrilling two wicket over the Blues in front of a big Telstra Stadium crowd.

The Bulls got home with two balls to spare in a match in which Blues paceman Matthew Nicholson won $50,000 for hitting a sponsor's sign.

The visitors appeared to be cruising to victory through a fifth wicket stand of 90 off 120 balls between Clinton Perren (75 off 94 balls) and James Hopes (34 off 52).

However, Perren was needlessly run out by a direct hit by Dominic Thornely from mid-off after attempting a risky single and when Hopes was dismissed by Nathan Bracken, the Bulls needed 11 runs to win from as many balls.

Ashley Noffke and Michael Kasprowicz scrambled the remaining runs to put Queensland joint fourth on the ladder with South Australia on 13 points, one behind third-placed NSW.

The crowd of 26,190 was the largest ever for a one day game in NSW, exceeding the figure 25,763 for last season's first ING Cup fixture at Telstra Stadium between NSW and South Australia.

It was the second biggest attendance ever for a domestic limited overs game behind the 32,000 patrons who witnessed the 1977 final between Western Australia and Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Queensland got off to a flying start through veterans Jimmy Maher (48 off 53 balls) and Stuart Law (57 off 47), who compiled 112 in 16.4 overs.

The NSW pace trio of Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark and Nicholson conceded 85 runs off their first 12 overs.

O'Brien and MacGill applied the brakes with Perren and Hopes initially content to work the ball.

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