Tim Paine and James Faulkner put Tasmania back in the box seat for the Sheffield Shield title after a Ryan Harris wrecking job had given Queensland a glimmer of hope.
Paine (87) and Faulkner (83no) put on 161 for the seventh wicket to rescue the Tigers from a nerve-wracking 5-15 after Harris had demolished the home side’s top order in a 5.3 over blitz of 4-6.
Tasmania were 7-240 in their second innings at stumps on day four, a lead of 434, ensuring the Bulls will need to make the highest ever fourth-innings winning total in a Shield final to defend their title.
Wicketkeeper Paine notched his first half-century of a tough Shield campaign in his most important match, smacking 11 fours in a 219-ball knock.
The 28-year-old had a second career Shield hundred within sight but miscued a pull shot facing James Hopes (2-76) late in the day.
Allrounder Faulkner bettered his previous highest first-class score of 77 in a breakthrough season that resulted in his Australian one-day debut in February.
Needing only a draw, Tasmania had been in a seemingly impregnable position for most of the first three days.
But they were ambushed by former Test paceman Harris, whose combination of pace, precision and movement briefly turned the match.
The Tigers lost 4-1 in 13 balls – including Ricky Ponting when he shouldered arms – on what had been a docile pitch, and suddenly a chase of under 300 for the Bulls looked a distinct possibility.
First innings century-maker Jordan Silk (1) was the first to go when he chopped Harris on at 1-5.
Bulls skipper Hopes chipped in to have Mark Cosgrove (4) playing on at 2-5.
Then Harris snared the big one, having Ponting (1) out lbw when the former Test captain offered no stroke to a ball that angled back at him.
Tigers captain George Bailey (0) was bowled second ball by Harris at 4-6 before the paceman rattled Jonathan Wells’ (1) stumps when he let an angling ball go.
Ponting’s innings could have been his last in Australia as he decides whether to play on with Tasmania in 2013-14.
But the champion’s first piece of silverware with his state side now looks assured, a factor likely to come into his decision.
Earlier, the Bulls were all out for a first innings 225 after resuming at 7-185.
Medium pacer Evan Gulbis snared 4-62 and Faulkner 3-40.