A century to skipper George Bailey has helped Tasmania to first-innings points on day three of its Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland at Bellerive Oval.
Bailey was out in the final over before lunch on Wednesday for 115 but not before combining with Tim Paine (20) and Brendan Drew (35), while Adam Griffith's late unbeaten 40 also ensured the Tigers eventually reached 427, giving them a 101-run lead after dismissing the Bulls on Tuesday.
Already the leading wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield, Ben Cutting has continued his fine summer with a haul of 6-90 from 28 overs while Nathan Reardon captured 2-101 and Luke Feldman (1-83) and Chris Swan (1-75) grabbed the other wickets.
After resuming on 3-251 Tasmania's cause suffered an early setback when former captain Dan Marsh edged behind off Cutting for 25 with the score at 255 before a double breakthrough in which Cutting sent Paine and then John Rogers (0) on their way to leave the hosts at 6-289.
But any hopes Queensland harboured of quickly running through the tail and taking first-innings points to draw level with Sheffield Shield ladder leader Victoria on 22 points was dashed as Bailey and Drew put on 88 for the seventh wicket.
Bailey top-edged a slog sweep to fall to Reardon though and Cutting followed up by dismissing Drew and Tim MacDonald (0) before Griffith thrashed six fours and a six in his rapid-fire innings which lasted only 29 balls.
Sitting second-last on the ladder with just nine points before the game started, the Tigers need maximum points to keep their hopes of making the final alive while the Bulls will be hoping to take over top spot on the table from the Bushrangers.
Queensland 1st innings: 326
Tasmania 1st innings
Lockyear c Hartley b Feldman 85
Cowan c Hartley b Reardon 22
Doolan c Hartley b Cutting 66
Bailey c Hartley b Reardon 49
Marsh c Hartley b Cutting 25
Paine c Hartley b Cutting 20
Rogers b Cutting 0
Drew c Swan b Cutting 35
Griffith not out 40
MacDonald c Batticciotto b Cutting 0
Maher c Carseldine b Swan 3
Extras: 16 (7lb, 1b, 2w, 6nb)
Total: 427 (all out, 117.2 overs)
Fow: 1-61, 2-167, 3-190, 4-255, 5-289, 6-289, 7-377, 8-384, 9-395, 10-427
Bowling:
Cutting 28 - 5 - 90 - 6 (3nb)
Swan 25.2 - 7 - 75 - 1
Feldman 25 - 6 - 83 - 1 (1w, 2nb)
Simpson 18 - 4 - 63 - 0
Reardon 19 -3 - 101 - 2 (1w)
Carseldine 2 - 0 - 7 - 0 (1nb)