Opener Mark Cosgrove is leading Tasmania’s final day fight for a draw in the Sheffield Shield match against NSW at Bellerive.
Cosgrove is unbeaten on 67 with the Tigers 3-136, a lead of 61, in their second innings at lunch on day four.
Ricky Ponting has been unable to repeat his first innings heroics, and was bowled by the last ball before lunch, a shooting off-cutter from Josh Hazlewood, 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.
Former South Australian Cosgrove has hit 12 fours in his 96-ball knock and earlier put on 97 with Alex Doolan (52).
The Tigers resumed at 1-30 on a placid Bellerive pitch which has begun to occasionally play low.
The home side took the lead at 1-77 when Cosgrove edged through Blues keeper Peter Nevill’s pads shortly before the hour mark.
Doolan 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) with the score 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.