Tasmania pile on runs

A punchy half century to Tasmanian skipper George Bailey has breathed life into the Sheffield Shield encounter at Hobart's Blundstone Arena early on Wednesday afternoon.

Chasing the NSW first innings total of 7-341 declared, the Tigers had moved to 2-211 at lunch with Bailey (71) and Steve Cazzulino (76) the not-out batsmen.

Bailey raced to his half-century off just 64 deliveries and has hit 13 boundaries and one six in his 78-ball innings to date.

After much of day two was lost to rain, play resumed at 11.30am in the twilight encounter at Blundsonte Arena with the prospect of an early declaration from Bailey the subject of much conjecture ahead of play.

Both teams need full points to further their hopes of featuring in the final come season's end, but it remains to be seen how much of a first innings lead Bailey is willing to surrender, if any, in the hunt for an outright win.

Ed Cowan (47) and Cazzulino continued their protracted opening partnership during the first hour and moved to a century stand with a Cowan boundary in the 43rd over, but it was still slow going in the face of a fiery spell from NSW paceman Scott Coyte.

The Test opener was out two balls later when he feathered an edge from a short Coyte delivery through to Peter Neville behind the stumps, leaving the field clearly frustrated at missing out on what appears to be an excellent batting surface.

Coyte had dropped the simplest of chances from Cowan earlier the same over and must have been particularly relieved his error cost only six runs given both openers had already been gifted chances shortly after arriving at the crease late on day one.

Alex Doolan (two) wasn't allowed to settle at the crease, Steve Smith plucking a low catch one-handed catch at slip to give Josh Lalor a wicket amidst an otherwise scattergun spell from the Church Street end.

Smith's catch was one of few that have stuck during the match and Ben Rohrer was guilty of another simple miss when he dropped a spooned Cazzulino drive at cover when the former New South Welshman was on 74.