Queensland’s Sheffield Shield ladder lead is in serious jeopardy after they were reduced to a second innings 8-120 on day three of the match against Tasmania at Bellerive.

The Bulls lead by just 65 and will need a miracle to avoid an outright defeat to the Shield holders, leaving them vulnerable to second-placed Western Australia who were pummelling NSW in Perth.

Queensland currently sit on 30 points, but WA would jump to 32 with a win over the Blues.

A Tigers win would lift them to third spot on 28 points, leapfrogging Victoria (24).

Only stand-in Bulls captain Chris Hartley offered any real resistance on Sunday with a defiant 36 as the wickets tumbled around him.

Tasmanian pacemen Luke Butterworth (3-29) and Jackson Bird (3-37) destroyed the Bulls’ batting order on a wicket still offering assistance to the bowlers.

At tea, which was taken when rain arrived again in Hobart, first innings saviour Ben Cutting was unbeaten on two and Steve Magoffin was yet to score.

Queensland’s wickets fell regularly after they had wrapped up Tasmania’s innings for 260 by taking 5-39 in the morning session, a lead of 55 for the home side.

The Bulls went to lunch at 3-29 and a partnership of 45 between Hartley and Matthew Gale (18) for the seventh wicket was the only bright spot in a gloomy second dig.

Queensland quick Alister McDermott had earlier mopped up the Tasmanian tail, finishing with 3-48, with fellow paceman Cutting taking 3-73.