Doolan and Ponting pile up runs in draw

Tasmania 5 for 439 dec and 2 for 165 (Doolan 60*, Ponting 60*) drew with Victoria 320
Scorecard

Alex Doolan and Ricky Ponting both made half-centuries to help prepare them for their upcoming challenges but rain prevented any chance of a result on the final day at the MCG. Tasmania took the only points from the match having earned a first-innings advantage and when the match drew to its close, the Tigers had reached 2 for 165 in their second innings, with Ponting and Doolan each on 60 not out.

The wet weather in Melbourne meant only 48.5 overs were bowled for the day and James Pattinson picked up the only two wickets for Victoria, when he had Mark Cosgrove for 24 and Ed Cowan for 16. But Doolan and Ponting, who had shared a 151-run opening stand in the first innings, again combined to trouble the Bushrangers, this time with an unbeaten 116-run partnership.

The pair finished the match as the leading two run scorers in the Sheffield Shield this season. Ponting has 350 runs from three matches as he warms up for the Test series against South Africa and Doolan, who was on Friday named in the Australia A side to take on the South Africans in Sydney next week, has made 330 runs from his three games.