Tuesday 9 February 2010

The XXXX GOLD Queensland Bulls and PKF Tasmanian Tigers will watch the skies and the scoreboard tomorrow as the Weet-Bix Sheffield Shield clash in Hobart enters an intriguing stage.

By stumps today Tasmania had forged ahead to trail Queensland by just 75 runs with seven wickets in hand, but with the Tigers desperate to score an outright win and the prospect of a weather change in the wind, declarations and targets may well be the order for the remaining two days.

Tasmania was 3-251 at the close of play, with captain George Bailey 49 not out after some aggressive work by Rhett Lockyear (85) and Alex Doolan (66).

The Bulls camp is preparing for a quick declaration in the event that the Tigers get past their first innings of 326 in the first session tomorrow.

Earlier, the Bulls took their score comfortably past 300 as Simpson and Luke Feldman hit out when play resumed this morning, with Feldman scoring a breezy 31 not out from 25 balls.

Simpson (33) would have been pleased with the 72 runs that flowed in the first hour of play, but might have also noted the change in the wicket that had become progressively more benign compared to the opening day.

It was the case as the Bulls pace trio of Ben Cutting, Chris Swan and Luke Feldman struggled for penetration, with Nathan Reardon providing the surprise partnership breaker when he had the competition’s leading runs-scorer Ed Cowan caught behind for 22.

Feldman and Cutting each picked up a wicket, with Hartley featuring in all three dismissals with catches.

Cutting had a confident shout for leg before wicket turned down against Bailey early in his innings but the Bulls attack found chances and half chances hard to come by as the wicket flattened out.

Meanwhile the Bulls expect to finalise their Ford Ranger Cup side in the next 48 hours for the crucial one-dayer against the Tigers on Saturday.

The Queensland Academy of Sport 2nd XI team for their Futures League clash with South Australia at Allan Border Field next week will also be finalised then.