Ryan Campbell proved attack is the best form of defence when he followed his instincts and smashed an unbeaten 72 to force a Pura Cup cricket draw with Queensland at the WACA today.

Campbell, called into the side to replace Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, made his first half-century in two seasons as WA reached 8-220 when stumps were called eight overs early with the Warriors ahead by 162.

So often criticised for his shot selection, Campbell belted ten boundaries and a six to crush the Bulls' hopes.

NSW now heads the Pura Cup table by two points over Queensland after its outright victory over Victoria in Melbourne today.

Queensland captain Stuart Law was left lamenting his decision not to declare after securing first innings points last night, when his bowling attack took the Bulls to within two wickets of a final day run chase.

The Bulls batted for 15 overs last night after passing WA's first innings 432 and another four this morning to reach 490, a lead of 58 runs.

His caution was understandable after the placid WACA pitch had held few fears for batsmen over the previous three days.

However Law's bowlers, led by Michael Kasprowicz (3-77), had the hosts in serious trouble at 6-148 - a lead of just 90 runs with only Campbell and the tail to remove and 27 overs of play remaining.

Despite the draw, man of the match Jimmy Maher added his name to the queue of in-form batsmen breathing down the neck of struggling Ashes tourist Simon Katich.

Katich went in to bat with the Warriors 1-28 and needing to survive until late in the day to ensure the draw.

On a perfect batting wicket that had already yielded big scores to Maher (174), Martin Love (91) and WA's Marcus North (106), Katich had the chance to bat himself into form as he steered his side safely to stumps.

But after a bright start in which he struck seven boundaries, he fell for a Law trap and punched Kasprowicz to Maher at short cover on 38.

It followed a duck in the first innings and left him him with just 143 runs at 28.6 in five first class innings for the Warriors to go with 42 from four one-day matches.

Considered the next-in-line for any Test vacancies at the start of the summer, Katich has lost ground to the likes of Greg Blewett, Darren Lehmann, Maher and Love who have all scored centuries in Pura Cup matches this season.

Mike Hussey (35) also continued his poor run against Queensland, when he chipped James Hopes (2-50) to Maher, giving the cover fieldsman his sixth catch of the match.

Queensland resumed this morning at 7-474 only to have rejuvenated WA paceman Matthew Nicholson (4-97) end the innings with a blistering 13-ball spell that captured three wickets for two runs.

The Bulls' stubborn late order resistance ended when wicketkeeper Wade Seccombe (40) edged Nicholson to Campbell behind the stumps.

The performance was Nicholson's best return for three years after struggling with injury since making his Test debut in the 1998 Boxing Day Test against England.

© 2001 AAP