Bulls' Shield chances fading away against Tigers

Queensland face a mountain to climb if they are to challenge Tasmania in their final-round Sheffield Shield match and hang on to second spot.

TIM PAINE.
TIM PAINE. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Queensland's Sheffield Shield final hopes are hanging by a thread midway through their match against Tasmania in Hobart after another poor day for the visitors.

The Bulls ended the second day on 6-180, still 299 runs in arrears of the hosts.

Queensland need to at least match Victoria's result in Western Australia, with bonus points the deciding factor should both sides finish equal second.

Max Bryant remains Queensland's last hope of not only getting close to Tasmania's 7-479 declared, but earning sufficient first-innings batting points.

The No.5 ended the day on 62 not out, hitting nine boundaries in his 64-ball innings.

Gurinder Sandhu is the other batter at the crease, undefeated on 24no.

Doubt remains about fast bowler Mark Steketee's ability to bat after he was deemed "unlikely" to bowl again during the match after being forced off with a hip injury on day one.

Steketee's injury compounded a woeful few days for the Bulls in Hobart, with fellow strike bowler Michael Neser ruled out of the match with an ankle injury suffered during the warm-up.

Queensland's poor run continued at the start of their innings with the visitors slipping to 2-13.

The only other major contributors with the bat were opener Bryce Street (34) and Jack Clayton (40).

Batting seemed much easier earlier in the day at Bellerive Oval as Tasmania added 154 runs in three hours to their overnight 6-325.

Beau Webster was the backbone of Tasmania's innings hitting 168 not out for his maiden century of the season and eighth Shield ton.

Spinner Jarrod Freeman was the other major contributor with a career-best 63 not out, putting on an unbroken stand of 122 for the eighth wicket in partnership with Webster.