Burns fires century amid Tigers bowling authority

A MASTERFUL century by rejected Test opener Joe Burns saved Queensland from a Tiger mauling in their Sheffield Shield match at Blundstone Arena.

The opener also sent a potent message to Australian selectors in the process.

Burns, 31, hit a stylish 171 and anchored an innings that threatened to flop after the departure of Test hero Marnus Labuschagne (49) and a middle order misfire.

As the Tigers moved in for the kill, driven by unlikely destroyer Beau Webster, Burns was the single-handed saviour.

The Bulls lost Usman Khawaja, Matthew Renshaw, Jimmy Peirson, Jack Wildermuth and Mark Steketee for a combined contribution of five as part of a 6-37 middle order muck-up.

Without paceman Xavier Bartlett (25 runs off 79 deliveries) holding up his end, Burns would have run out of partners to post triple figures.

Queensland finished with 275 — 57 runs short of Tasmania’s first innings.

“It’s always nice when you get 100,” Burns said.

“Given the situation of the game, to put on a few runs with the tail as well to get us closer to the Tassie score means the game is still in the balance going into the next two days.

“Our score is below par for the expectations of our batting group.

“The middle session didn’t go to plan but the way the tail hung around – 170 behind at tea and to get that down to 57 – means we are still in the contest.”

Tasmania resumed 7-293 with Caleb Jewell unbeaten on 131, but the Tigers did not survive the first hour on day two.

Jewell’s maiden Shield century ended when he was clean bowled by Brendan Doggett for a courageous 140, and the Tigers were all out for 332 off 101.1 overs.

Tasmania’s bowlers made an early impression, sending Bulls opener Bryce Street back to the sheds when he feathered a beauty from paceman Jackson Bird into the waiting gloves of keeper Tim Paine.

Labuschagne and Burns built a second-wicket partnership of 67 to lunch, although it had a few moments when Labuschagne miss-timed a pull shot that landed just beyond the reach of Jarrod Freeman at mid-on, and a few edges teased the men in slips.

Fresh from his brilliant Big Bash series, Webster became Tasmania’s fourth seam bowler and was an instant hit.

He out-shone the usual suspects by taking a career-best 4-50 off 15.4 overs, including the scalps of Khawaja, Renshaw, Wildermuth and eventually Burns.

“That’s the beauty of Bellerive, if you put the ball in the right area for long enough you get a bit of movement,” Webster said.

“It was nice to get a few wickets. There was enough nip off a good area.

“My natural ball to the lefthander nips away and they had a few lefties in the top order and I was lucky that they nicked a few.”