Hopes counterattack lifts Queensland to lead

Queensland 7 for 343 (Hopes 94, Heazlett 56, Hartley 47*) lead Tasmania 300 by 43 runs
Scorecard

James Hopes, coming in at No.8, blasted 94 off 60 balls, guiding Queensland to an innings lead against Tasmania in Brisbane. Tasmania, who began the day at 9 for 269, lasted just five overs in the morning, as Mitchell Swepson quickly bowled the last batsman Sam Rainbird.

Queensland, though, began their reply poorly, as the opener Matt Renshaw was run out in the sixth over. The team was dealt another blow when Charlie Hemphrey was trapped lbw, but Marnus Labuschagne and Chris Lynn led a recovery, putting up 71 runs for the third wicket. Both batsmen eventually fell in the space of four overs, but Sam Heazlett kept the runs flowing, his 56 taking the team over the 200-run mark.

Tasmania might have had one eye on an innings lead when Hamish Kingston dismissed Heazlett to leave Queensland six down and still 91 runs away from parity, but Hopes quickly helped his team regain the advantage by smashing 16 fours during his blast, and stringing together 128 runs for the seventh wicket with the captain Chris Hartley. Hopes scored at a strike-rate of 156.66, and though he fell just short of what would have been a sixth first-class ton, his blitz gave Queensland a lead of 43. Hartley was unbeaten on 47 when stumps were called.