Tasmania have reached 2-45 at lunch on day three in pursuit of 212 to win the Sheffield Shield match against South Australia at Bellerive.

Test opener Ed Cowan (24 not out) and captain George Bailey (16 not out) have steadied the Tigers’ second innings on Saturday after they were 2-2.

Redbacks’ quick Kane Richardson (2-4) struck twice to remove Mark Cosgrove for two and Steve Cazzulino, who replaced Ricky Ponting, for a duck.

Cosgrove edged to keeper Tim Ludeman before Cazzulino was caught at second slip by Dan Christian.

But in tough new-ball conditions, Cowan and Bailey survived some anxious moments to give Tasmania a chance of extending South Australia’s horror run of 19 Shield games without an outright victory.

Earlier, the Tigers’ pace attack took little time to mop up the Redbacks’ tail, after the visitors had resumed at 7-225, bowling them out for 237.

Making good use of the new ball, Test quick Ben Hilfenhaus (2-83) had Chadd Sayers caught behind for 12 at 8-233.

Luke Butterworth (3-40) had skipper Johan Botha (19) inside edging to keeper Ben Dunk two runs later before bowling Daniel Worrall for a duck.

Batting conditions are the best they have been on any day of the match with clear skies in Hobart.

South Australia made 112 in their first innings and Tasmania 138.

The Redbacks last won a Shield match in November 2010 at Bellerive.