Opener Mark Cosgrove has fallen just short of a century as Tasmania fight to secure a draw with NSW on the final day of the Sheffield Shield match at Bellerive.

Cosgrove was out for 92 when he hoicked legspinner Adam Zampa (1-40) down the ground and was caught after an innings of 136 balls with 15 boundaries.

At tea, the Tigers were 6-234 in their second innings, a lead of 159 with Tim Paine unbeaten on 24 and first innings century-maker Jason Krejza seven.

The Blues kept themselves in with some chance of an outright victory with a double strike in the space of three balls that removed Jonathan Wells (10) and Cosgrove soon after lunch.

The home side slumped from 3-174 to 5-174 with the dismissals and they were 6-226 when century-maker Nic Maddinson had Luke Butterworth (24) caught behind with his first ball of the Shield season.

Ricky Ponting was unable to repeat his first innings heroics, and was bowled by the last ball before lunch, a shooting off-cutter from Josh Hazlewood (2-54), for 12.

The former Australian skipper, who made 200 in the first innings, had been dropped when Hazlewood couldn’t handle a sharp caught and bowled chance two balls earlier.

The Tigers had resumed at 1-30 on a placid Bellerive pitch which has occasionally played low.

Cosgrove put on 97 with Alex Doolan who completed an entertaining 50 off 68 balls with nine fours but added only two runs before he was caught at slip by Trent Copeland off the bowling of Hazlewood (2-41) at 2-99.

NSW secured first innings points on day three, when they were all out for 500 in reply to Tasmania’s 6(dec)-425.

Copeland has received an official reprimand from Cricket Australia after pleading guilty to dissent when he was given out lbw after making his maiden Shield century on Friday.