Cutting rattles Tigers

The introduction of the second new ball late on day three has seen a Ben Cutting-inspired Queensland jump into the box seat for a Sheffield Shield victory over Tasmania on Tuesday at the Gabba.

Cutting, handed new-ball duties for the first time at the Gabba in his fledging first-class career, snared two wickets in the space of three balls to see the Tigers reduced to 6-209 at stumps.

Veteran Dan Marsh (40 not out) has underlined his side's gritty fight-back in a steadfast knock that soaked up 101 balls, but the visitors still require another 17 runs to make the Bulls bat again.

Cutting struck with his first use of the shiny ball, tempting Luke Butterworth (25) into an expansive off-drive that saw a thick edge fly to Lee Carseldine in the slips cordon.

Jason Krejza followed for a duck when he clipped a full ball straight to Ryan Broad at square leg.

Cutting finished with eight maidens next to his name and the impressive figures of 3-33 from 18 overs.

Keeper Chris Hartley grassed a tough chance when Marsh was on 36, but he and first-innings hero Brett Geeves (16 not out) safely made it to the end of play.

Earlier Alex Doolan's stodgy knock of 59 spearheaded his side's efforts to grind the home side into submission, and perhaps fittingly it was Cutting who brought about his downfall.

Doolan's maiden half-century came after almost three hours at the crease, as the Tigers slowly went about their task, crawling to be 2-100 in the 50th over.

The 23-year-old will be kicking himself after falling in unspectacular fashion in the second-last over of the second session, though.

After much uncertainty, Doolan had started to look at ease on the cusp of tea, with a well-driven boundary followed soon after by a cracking pulled four.

It all came unstuck the very next ball when Cutting dug another one in short, with Doolan this time picking out Scott Walter in the deep.

It was a rare lapse in concentration on a day that saw limited risks taken by any of the Tigers' batsmen.

Doolan, Butterworth, Marsh, Ed Cowan (26) and captain George Bailey (25) all showed plenty of resolve in their innings, a fry cry from Tasmania's performance on day one, when they collapsed to be 5-27 and were finally rolled for a modest total of 156.

The Bulls bowled tightly, with the highlight aside from Cutting's performance being captain Chris Simpson's miserly figures of 1-36 from 23 overs.

The race that stopped a nation failed to halt play in the second session, with the Tigers stuck at 2-97 for the duration of Shocking's winning run in the Melbourne Cup.

There had been some hope that the time of the scheduled drinks break could be altered to allow the race to be played on the big screen.

Umpires Tony Ward and Paul Reiffel along with match referee Steve Small were all supportive of the idea if an agreement could be struck between the two sides, but it was not to be.

Tasmania 1st innings 156

Queensland 1st innings 382

Tasmania 2nd innings
Cowan c Carseldine b Simpson 26
Wells c Kruger b Walter 10
Doolan c Walter b Cutting 59
Bailey c Hartley b Doran 25
Marsh not out 40
Butterworth c Carseldine b Cutting 25
Krejza c Broad b Cutting 0
Gevees not out 16
Extras: 8 (2b, 4lb, 1nb, 1w)
Total: 209 (6 wickets ; 93 overs)

FOW: 1-20, 2-62, 3-124, 4-130, 5-189, 6-189

Bowling:
Swan 14 - 3 - 29 - 0 (1nb)
Walter 18 - 2 - 61 - 1
Cutting 18 - 8 - 33 - 3 (1w)
Carseldine 9 - 4 - 14 - 0
Simpson 23 - 3 - 36 - 1
Doran 11 - 1 - 30 - 1