Bichel shines in the Gabba gloom

Tasmania 8 for 234 (Dawson 55, Bichel 5-64) v Queensland
Scorecard

Andy Bichel celebrates one of his five wickets © Getty Images

Andy Bichel grabbed five wickets as Queensland enjoyed the better of a gloomy opening day of their Pura Cup match against Tasmania at The Gabba.

Bichel finished with 5 for 64 after Tasmania were put in, but the visitors' batsmen dug deep in difficult conditions and closed on 8 for 234, a commendable achievement given the circumstances.

On a green pitch and with low cloud cover, it was always going to be a day which favoured the bowlers, and so dull was it that the floodlights were on for most of the afternoon and evening sessions.

Tasmania, without the injured Michael Bevan and Dan Marsh, lost two wickets inside the first 35 minutes before David Dawson (55) and Travis Birt (48) combined to add 87 for the third wicket. It was a disappointing day for Jamie Cox, who was playing a record-equalling 159th Pura Cup appearance, as he nibbled Bichel to Chris Hartley, the wicketkeeper, for 6 to become Bichel's 600th first-class wicket. It could have been worse for Tasmania, but Dawson was dropped three times in the slips.

After Dawson became Hartley's second victim - off the bowling of Andrew Symonds - Tasmania slipped to 6 for 140, but a gutsy, unbeaten ninth-wicket stand of 56 between Xavier Doherty (37 not out) and Adam Griffith (22 not out) defied Queensland again. Doherty nearly came to blows with Mitchell Johnson, Queensland's erratic fast bowler, when he narrowly avoided a beamer, but the pair survived to the close.

"It was very disappointing," said Queensland coach Terry Oliver. "I'm not that happy but Tasmania gutsed it out and full credit to them."