The man anointed by Ricky Ponting as his heir apparent – Alex Doolan – kept Tasmania’s hopes of a vital Sheffield Shield outright victory alive with a timely half century against Queensland at the Gabba on Saturday.
And just as well.
Ponting suffered a rare failure as part-time bowler Nathan Reardon ripped through the Tigers’ middle order with two wickets in three balls to send a scare through the visitors’ camp.
However, Doolan (71 not out) stood tall to guide Tasmania to 4-226 in their second dig at stumps on day three – holding an overall lead of 190 with a day to play.
Ponting had previously tipped Doolan as the man to replace him in Australia’s Test line-up by the upcoming Ashes series.
Doolan almost forced his way into the Test squad in November with a fighting 161 for Australia A against South Africa.
And his Test debut may come sooner rather than later based on Australia’s underwhelming tour of India.
But the Tigers relished Doolan still being in their line-up after he came to their rescue late on Saturday.
Ponting had arrived at the Gabba averaging more than 111 with the bat this Shield season.
However, he will leave with a more mortal 85.62 after being bowled for a two-ball duck during Reardon’s stunning burst.
Reardon broke a 64-run second wicket stand when he had opener Mark Cosgrove (63) caught behind before rattling Ponting’s stumps and reducing the Tigers to 3-138, holding a lead of 102.
Fifth-placed Tasmania – needing to win their last two games outright to remain in the Shield final mix – wobbled again when captain George Bailey was caught behind for 12 as the Tigers slumped to 4-160.
But Doolan and Jon Wells (38 not out) – who struck 82 in the first innings – remained defiant in an unbroken 66-run stand.
Earlier on Saturday, a Joe Burns-inspired Queensland were bowled out for 281.
Burns was the last man out after a six-hour knock of 120.
The recent Australia A call-up arrived at the crease on Friday facing a hat-trick ball and with Queensland in deep trouble at 3-18 in reply to Tasmania’s 245 first innings after Ben Hilfenhaus took three wickets in four balls.
But he proved a thorn in the Tigers’ side, rescuing Queensland from 4-30, 5-90 and 6-112 with his fifth Shield ton.
Ex-Test seamer Hilfenhaus (4-84) finally got his man when Burns tried to add to his tally of nine fours and two sixes.
