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Callum Ferguson just missed out on a hundred in his last match as Queensland left it late to finish off South Australia in their Sheffield Shield match.

Callum Ferguson was cruelly denied a century in his farewell Sheffield Shield match as another South Australia salvage mission came up just short against Queensland.

The Bulls claimed a 62-run victory in the last half an hour of the day when Mitch Swepson (3-127) snared Lloyd Pope (0) with a leg break, caught in the slips by Marnus Labuschagne.

It had been another grim attempt to hang on by the Redbacks, who'd batted out more than a day in both their past two matches to register draws against Victoria and Tasmania.

On Wednesday at ACH Group Stadium, it wasn't quite to be.

Retiring Ferguson, who ends a 17-year first-class cricket career that included one Test for Australia, did his best with a resolute 97.

After batting out the first session with Harry Nielsen (114) in a 218-run partnership, Ferguson was trapped plumb lbw to Mark Steketee.

When Nielsen departed just one run later, the Redbacks slipped to 6-312 and hopes of their own unlikely win seemed to go with it.

Chadd Sayers and Liam Scott added 68 to keep home hopes flickering but as the wicket took increasing turn they struggled to hold out, let alone bat for a win.

Wicketless in his first 50 overs, Swepson ended up with three wickets in 10 balls to secure the result for the Bulls.

Steketee was the pick of the Queensland bowlers with 4-43.