Tasmania have cruised to an eight-wicket victory over Queensland to close the gap on the Bulls to just two points on the Sheffield Shield ladder.

Tigers big guns Ed Cowan and George Bailey were untroubled in peeling off the 161 they needed for victory on day four after bowling the Bulls out for 215.

Test opener Cowan continued a stellar season with an unbeaten 77 to back up the 82 he made in the first innings.

Bailey arrived back in Hobart on Sunday after he had flown to Brisbane mid-match on standby for the Australian one-day side.

But the skipper showed no signs of travel weariness in knocking out 57 not out from 80 balls.

Together they put on 118 for the second wicket on the best day for batting in the rain-affected match.

Queensland’s loss leaves the former ladder leaders looking vulnerable.

They have slipped to second on 30 points following Western Australia’s (32) demolition of NSW in Perth and are winless in either form of the game since the break for the Big Bash league.

In the Bulls’ favour, they play strugglers South Australia and the Blues in their final two matches.

Shield holders Tasmania, meanwhile, are looking ominous on 28 points and with matches against the Redbacks (away) and the Warriors (home), their final chances in their own hands.