Cleared Queensland quick Cameron Gannon has capped a feel-good story with a five-wicket haul to help dismiss Tasmania for 407 in their Sheffield Shield clash in Brisbane.
But Tasmanian batsman George Bailey had little to smile about after fluffing his Test audition and being dismissed for 34 as the Tigers bats tumbled on Thursday.
In his first Shield game back since a lengthy investigation into his bowling action, the lanky Gannon claimed 5-53 as Tasmania lost 8-116 on Thursday on a supposedly batsman-friendly deck.
Test quick Ryan Harris (2-126 off 34 overs) bowled with plenty of fire but not much luck in a lionhearted display ahead of this month’s Ashes opener.
But it remains to be seen whether Bailey will line up alongside him against England at the Gabba.
Bailey left the door open for Test No.6 rivals Shaun Marsh, Alex Doolan and Usman Khawaja when he failed to add to his overnight score and was caught behind off Harris.
Bailey did all the hard work by surviving a brutal working over from Harris late on Wednesday, only to feather a touch to wicketkeeper Chris Hartley early on day two with a big score beckoning at the small, batsman friendly Allan Border Field.
Then again few got going with the bat for Tasmania on Thursday as the visitors lost 5-43 in the morning session.
Ex-Test opener Ed Cowan (78) added just 10 runs to his overnight score before he was caught in the gully by Gannon.
It was hard to keep Gannon out of the action as he celebrated his return to first-class cricket.
Gannon bounced back from being reported with a suspect bowling action during the 2012-13 Shield final against overall winners Tasmania in March.
The 24-year-old fast bowler was forced to undergo a lengthy off-season remediation process that eventually resulted in him getting the all-clear.
Gannon made his official return to cricket for the Brisbane Heat in their recent underwhelming Champions League Twenty20 campaign in India.
Tasmania offered some resistance when stand-in wicketkeeper Ben Dunk (54) shared in a 74-run eighth-wicket stand with Ben Hilfenhaus (25) before the Bulls’ bowlers resumed their dominance.
The collapse was in contrast to Wednesday when Tasmania cruised with the bat after a 123-run opening stand by Jordan Silk (107) and Mark Cosgrove (74).
