Queensland attack overcomes loss of Neser as Tasmania rue loose batting
Mark Steketee and Gurinder Sandhu took three wickets apiece on a day dominated by the bowlers
AAP
27-Oct-2023
Mark Steketee carried an extra burden in the absence of Michael Neser • Getty Images
Tasmania 146 for 9 (Webster 57*, Sandhu 3-27, Steketee 3-40) trail Queensland 379 (Burns 133, Clayton 96, Peirson 52, Neser 51 ret out) by 233 runs
Queensland overcame the mid-match loss of Michael Neser for personal reasons to pile the pain on Tasmania in their Sheffield Shield clash in Hobart.
On an action-filled second day, Queensland lost their last six wickets to be all out for 379, before Tasmania struggled in the final two sessions and faced a potential follow-on.
After Neser was an overnight withdrawal when he flew back to Brisbane for personal reasons while 51 not out at stumps on Thursday, Queensland lost 7 for 80 in the first session on Friday.
Included in those dismissals was Joe Burns, caught behind for 133 after scoring his first Shield century in two-and-a-half years on the opening day.
Queensland's collapse came despite Tasmania putting down three catches in the morning, and believing they were unlucky not to have Jimmy Peirson lbw on 9 before he reached 52.
With quick Gabe Bell off with an abductor injury, Lawrence Neil-Smith was Tasmania's next best with the ball on Friday with 2 for 54 as he got them back in the match.
Then Tasmania's top order worked to undo any notion of a fightback as Mark Steketee and Jack Wildermuth did the early damage.
Tim Ward, Caleb Jewell and Jordan Silk were all caught behind the wicket playing at balls they did not need to, as Tasmania fell to 8 for 3.
Matthew Wade and Charlie Wakim threatened to steady the ship, before Gurinder Sandhu removed them both.
Again, Wade was out to a poor shot outside off stump after dispatching Sandhu to the legside boundary with a well-timed pull shot the ball previous.
Things could have been worse for Tasmania had Mitchell Swepson not dropped a return chance off Beau Webster when he was on 4 from the first ball he bowled. Webster finished the day not out on 57.
More threatening for Queensland's players was a family of plovers situated on the south-eastern boundary of Blundstone Arena.
At one stage, Wildermuth had to retreat quickly and pick up a white towel to fend off the angry birds while collecting a Jarrod Freeman boundary from beyond the rope.