Manou stuck on 99 as Redbacks fight

South Australia 7 for 303 (Manou 99*, Harris 60, Elliott 55, Geeves 5-49) v Tasmania
Scorecard

Graham Manou was unbeaten on 99 at stumps, pushing South Australia to 7 for 303 after Brett Geeves rattled the top order with his first Pura Cup five-wicket haul. Geeves did his damage either side of the lunch break as the Redbacks lost 6 for 31 before Manou built two fighting partnerships, first with Ryan Harris and then with Jason Gillespie.

After a demoralising 2006-07 in which he lost his wicketkeeping spot due to his lack of runs, Manou is set to reclaim his position permanently with what should become his second first-class century. Harris made a valuable 60 and with Manou added 112 for the seventh wicket, while Gillespie was 48 not out at the close.

But South Australia's fragile top order remained a major concern, with only Matthew Elliott (55) troubling Tasmania's bowlers. Geeves finished with a career-best 5 for 49 and his first four victims came in a five-over spell that helped reduce the Redbacks to 6 for 92.

Geeves broke the 61-run opening stand by removing Shane Deitz for 18, then had Nathan Adcock lbw and Mark Cosgrove caught behind within the space of three balls. He ended his destructive period with the crucial dismissals of Darren Lehmann and Elliott, while Ben Hilfenhaus chipped in with 2 for 99.