Cowan and Silk push Tasmania ahead

Tasmania 407 and 2 for 130 (Cowan 56*, Silk 51) lead Queensland 303 (Lynn 81, Forrest 68, Hartley 52, Fekete 4-74) by 234 runs
Scorecard

Ed Cowan and Jordan Silk scored half-centuries to give Tasmania a strong advantage on the third day of their Sheffield Shield match against Queensland in Brisbane. At stumps, the Tigers were 2 for 130, with a 234-run lead, and the Tasmania captain George Bailey was at the crease on 9, giving him one last chance to impress the national selectors on Saturday morning, alongside Cowan on 56.

James Hopes trapped both the Tasmania openers lbw, Silk for 51 and Mark Cosgrove for 11, but the Tigers remained in control after taking first-innings points when Queensland were bowled out for 303. The debutant Andrew Fekete claimed 4 for 74 for Tasmania but it was the left-arm spinner Clive Rose who got rid of the two most threatening Queensland batsmen.

Chris Lynn, who had started the day on 74, added only seven to his tally before he was caught off the bowling of Rose for 81, and Peter Forrest made 68 before he too was caught off the bowling of Rose. Queensland were not helped by the absence of their debutant batsman Nick Stevens, who was unable to bat due to an injured knee, while the fast bowler Luke Feldman was unable to bowl late in the day due to injury.