Tasmania were in the driving seat late on day two of the Sheffield Shield final against Queensland at Bellerive.

The Tigers were all out for 419 in their first innings, having forced the weary visitors to bowl a massive 173.4 overs and needing only draw the decider to grab their third Shield title.

Allrounders Luke Butterworth (86) and James Faulkner (46) all but ended the Bulls’ title defence with a superb eighth wicket partnership of 125 after the match had been in the balance with Tasmania 7-269.

Butterworth continued his phenomenal record in Shield finals at Bellerive, where he has previously made 66, 106 and 88 in deciders.

The 29-year-old smacked 13 fours in his 135-ball knock to have the Tigers dreaming of delivering champion Ricky Ponting his first trophy with his state.

Queensland’s bowlers toiled stoically with skipper James Hopes claiming a stunningly economic 4-71 from 40.4 overs and former Test paceman Ryan Harris 3-107.

But the chances of the Bulls conjuring a victory for an eighth Shield title looked slim.

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.

Harris struck twice to have Wells caught behind, Paine lbw and the Bulls, at least briefly, back in the match.

Bailey had looked in good touch before he was trapped in front by Cameron Gannon (1-88), bringing Butterworth and Faulkner together.

Earlier, Queensland’s attack was buoyed by the dismissal of Ponting for 35, at 3-199, in the morning session 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 before he was out top-edging Michael Neser (2-71) to deep backward square leg at 4-240.