Cutting half-century rescues Queensland

Queensland 9 for 195 (Cutting 72*, Bird 5-56) v Tasmania
Scorecard

Ben Cutting's highest first-class score rescued Queensland from a potential debacle on the first day against Tasmania in Hobart, where he finished the day unbeaten on 72. Jackson Bird took five wickets to reduce the Bulls to 8 for 89 shortly after Cutting came to the crease but by stumps they had reached 9 for 195, with Alister McDermott also not out on 10.

Cutting and Steve Magoffin (17) had put together a 54-run partnership for the ninth wicket as Cutting went after the Tasmania bowlers, having decided that attack was the only way to survive on a difficult pitch. He scored his 72 off 74 balls, including four sixes, and he went past his previous highest score of 58 with consecutive sixes off Jason Krejza.

Queensland had been in early trouble having been sent in when Wade Townsend was caught behind in the first over of the match and his opening partner Ryan Broad was lbw to Bird with the total on 13. Joe Burns dug in with 43 either side of a rain delay, but the only other specialist batsmen to reach double figures were Andrew Robinson with 19 and Chris Lynn with 16.

Bird ran through the middle order and finished with 5 for 56, his third five-wicket haul in an outstanding debut season in which he has collected 28 victims at 16.85. His work was all the more important because the Tigers had lost James Faulkner to a back injury before the start of play, while the Queensland captain James Hopes was also ruled out due to a knee problem.