Test opener Ed Cowan tamed the tough conditions at Bellerive to lead Tasmania to first innings points on day two of the Sheffield Shield match against Queensland.

Cowan top-scored with 82 on a rain-affected day as the Tigers reached 5-221 in reply to Queensland’s 205 when bad light ended play.

Mark Cosgrove was dropped twice but played the supporting role with 67, while Matt Johnston (3no) and Luke Butterworth (9no) were at the crease at the end of the day.

Cosgrove and Cowan put on 95 for the fourth wicket before Cosgrove was run out by Joe Burns.

Cowan saw Tasmania into the lead but couldn’t notch a third Shield century this summer, ballooning a drive to Burns to end a 172-ball innings which included 11 fours.

Queensland added just 10 runs before they were dismissed after rain had delayed the start, Alister McDermott the last man out for 11.

Ben Cutting finished unbeaten on 79, including seven fours and four sixes, while Jackson Bird claimed career-best figures of 6-62 before the rain came again and delayed the start of Tasmania’s innings.

Opener Steven Cazzulino made just six before he was caught by Robinson off the bowling of Steve Magoffin (1-39).

The Tigers went to lunch at 1-30 and Cowan and Alex Doolan put on 53 before Doolan was caught behind off the bowling of Cutting (1-34) for 18.

George Bailey hit four boundaries in an entertaining innings of 27 off 30 balls before he was bowled shouldering arms to Matthew Gale (1-50) at 3-110.

Bailey was due to fly out of Hobart late on Saturday to join the Australian squad for Sunday’s one-day clash with India in Brisbane.

Fourth-placed Shield holders Tasmania are desperate for maximum points against the ladder leaders to keep them in the hunt for the competition’s final, a task that was being made more difficult by NSW struggling against Western Australia.