NSW opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the Sheffield Shield cricket ladder after taking first innings points in a draw with Tasmania at Bankstown Oval on Saturday.

Set 343 to win from a potential 88 overs, Tasmania finished on 7-262 with 11 overs remaining when the two teams agreed to end the game.

The Tigers chase never really moved into serious overdrive though a number of their batsmen made a start.

A 111-run fifth wicket stand between Aiden Blizzard (88) and captain Tim Paine (40) briefly raised hopes of a late Tigers charge.

However, they perished in successive overs and James Faulkner (0) also went as the Tigers lost 3-6.

In-form NSW allrounder Moises Henriques was named man of the match.

He followed up his unbeaten first innings 161 not out with a breezy unbeaten 50 off 51 balls and 3-41 in Tasmania’s second innings.

For Tasmania, opener Mark Cosgrove followed up his first innings 84 with 44.

Test batsmen Ricky Ponting and Ed Cowan scored 34 and eight respectively.

Ponting struck just two boundaries in his 66-ball innings and seemed content to steadily accumulate.

His innings ended when he edged an attempted pull shot to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin off paceman Doug Bollinger (1-45).

Haddin, who scored a classy first innings century, was dismissed for seven in his second dig, but also executed a slick legside last day stumping of Alex Doolan (21).

Trent Copeland (2-51) passed 100 first-class wickets for NSW.

Earlier, NSW captain Michael Clarke declared at six for 198, with Nick Maddinson (86) top scoring, as the Blues added 121 from 22 overs in the morning.

Paceman Jackson Bird (3-46) was Tasmania’s most successful bowler and finished with six scalps on his old home ground.

NSW are the only team to have played two Shield games this season, but they will not have one in October due to the Sydney Sixers participation in the Champions League T20 tournament in South Africa.

Tasmania’s next Shield engagement will be against South Australia in Adelaide starting on October 9.