THREE DOWN ... AND 17 TO GO
TIGERS STILL BATTLING IN SHIELD FINAL
THE find of the first-class summer briefly breathed life into this year’s Sheffield Shield final, but a lifeless Allan Border Field pitch appears set to stonewall Tasmania’s quest for a rare away victory.
While the Dukes ball — which helped produce 13 results in 15 games after Christmas — was meant to provide a leveller for the Tigers’ push to become just the seventh visiting state to snatch the Shield crown, an unresponsive surface has Queensland in the box seat to force the draw it needs to claim the title.
The Bulls will start day four at 3-233, 244 runs behind Tasmania’s first innings total of 477, which was forged yesterday around a superb Matthew Wade century (108) and a maiden first-class half-century to Sam Rainbird (57).
However the ease at which the Tigers tail handled the home side’s attack proved a concern and Queensland’s top order, aside from a four-ball burst from Tom Rogers, found few demons to contend with.
Matt Renshaw, who was being discussed as a bolter to fly to South Africa following the fallout from the sandpaper scandal, moved fluently to 37 only to edge Jackson Bird behind, before Joe Burns (49) and competition leading run scorer Marnus Labuschagne took the score to 1-128 when an early tea was called because of a passing shower.
First ball after the resumption Rogers trapped Burns in front and on the second ball of his next over he went right through Labuschagne to give the visitors a sniff at 3-133.
However Sam Heazlett (37) and Charlie Hemphrey (48) had few troubles navigating their way to stumps, with a dramatic Bulls collapse early this morning appearing the only way Tasmania can prise the contest open despite two extended days still remaining.
“It is always hard for the team second, we were hoping the cracks in the wicket would open up a little bit more today but the clouds came over a little bit and there was a bit of rain, so they didn’t quite open up for us,” Wade said.
“It would be nice to have them five or six down … but we will come out in the morning and hopefully get a couple before the new ball and then try and run through them.
“We would have to come out and set something quickly and have a crack again, we will still be trying to win the game, that’s for sure.”
There have been nine partnerships of at least 50 runs already in the match, highlighting the difficulty the bowling side has faced trying to snare a clump of wickets on a pitch that remained covered for the entirety of the abandoned first day, but is not deteriorating as initially expected. While comfortable with the position Queensland is in, Burns still feels the game is evenly balanced.
“If we come out tomorrow and bat well then we can take control of the game and drive it from there. The wicket is quite flat and started quite dry, maybe as the game wears on it might deteriorate and start to go up and down a bit and maybe turn.
“We will have to be on guard but generally speaking it is a pretty good batting wicket and I think as the home team, you have kind of earned the right to have that playing good cricket throughout the year.”