Tasmania’s plan to grind Queensland out of the Sheffield Shield final was in the balance as the home side reached 7-325 at tea on day two at Bellerive.

The Tigers were relying on allrounders James Faulkner (20no) and Luke Butterworth (33no) to take their total towards 400 after losing key wickets after lunch.

Resuming at 2-176 after a go-slow on day one, the home side were 4-252 at lunch before losing captain George Bailey (42), Jonathan Wells (5) and Tim Paine (0) in the middle session.

Former Test paceman Ryan Harris (3-81) struck twice to have Wells caught behind and Paine lbw, while Bailey had looked in good touch before he was trapped in front by Cameron Gannon (1-63).

Faulkner and Butterworth had put on 56 for the eighth wicket as they looked to take the decider out of Queensland’s reach.

Needing only a draw to claim the title, Tasmania had planned to bat the Bulls out of the five-day match on a dry Bellerive pitch.

The Queensland attack fought hard, though, and were buoyed by the dismissal of Ricky Ponting for 35 early on Saturday after the former Test skipper had added just 15 to his overnight score.

Young opener Jordan Silk notched his second century in as many Shield innings, and in just his third match, after more than seven-and-a-half hours at the crease.

The 20-year-old’s marathon 108 came from 358 balls with 11 fours before he was out top-edging Michael Neser (2-71) to deep backward square leg at 4-240.

The Tigers had already lost Ponting at 3-199 when Queensland skipper James Hopes (1-47) was able to get a ball to straighten beautifully and trap the former Test captain in front.

Tea was taken early after a shower hit Bellerive around 3.10pm (AEDT).