Miserly former Test paceman Trent Copeland knows full well he needs to make a statement with the ball to regain the ground he’s lost to Australia’s rising barrage of quicks.

Copeland could be forgiven for feeling his three Tests in Sri Lanka last year are a distant memory following the emergence of pace young-guns James Pattinson and Pat Cummins, and the resurgence of Peter Siddle.

The NSW spearhead was doing what he does best on a rain-marred day two of the Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at Bellerive, leaking just 16 runs from 13 overs as the Tigers reached 0-81 in reply to NSW’s 7(dec)-341.

The tall 25-year-old took six wickets in his three matches for Australia and is aware he needs to lift his tally of just two from three Shield games this summer if he is to push his claims again.

“I’ve got to concentrate on taking wickets for NSW, same as before I was in the Test team,” he said.

“I need to make it impossible for them not to pick me and put that many wickets on the board that when they pick the next Test tour (squad) I’m in the frame.

“There’s quite a few guys that are in front of me.

“I’m stoked for those guys.”

Copeland had to battle four rain delays on Tuesday, with less than two hours play possible because of persistent showers in Hobart.

Also battling the conditions were the Tigers’ former NSW opening pair Ed Cowan (37no) and Steven Cazzulino (36no).

The pair picked up where they had left off when they staged an opening partnership of 0-272 in the second innings of Tasmania’s last match against the Blues, in Canberra last December.

They now have now notched an unbeaten 353 runs in their past two digs against NSW.

“It’s brilliant. No matter how hard you try to say it isn’t a big deal, you always just up that little bit more for a game against NSW personally,” Cazzulino said.

“Hopefully tomorrow we can really do a bit of damage.”

That task is becoming more urgent with second placed Western Australia set to take first innings points against leaders Queensland, meaning the Tigers will be in urgent need of points.

NSW are also in a must-win situation and will hope injured former captain Simon Katich, who did not field on Tuesday after suffering severe bruising when he was struck on day one, can return.

More unpredictable weather is forecast for Hobart for the remaining two days’ play.