Tigers strangle Bulls

A gritty and miserly bowling performance from Tasmania has stifled Queensland in its Ford Ranger Cup match at the Gabba, reducing the hosts to 9-233 after 50 overs.

Queensland started slowly but showed plenty of promise after a blistering 73 from 91 balls by Lee Carseldine and steady work from Ryan Broad, who crafted 39 from 74 balls, had the hosts perched at 1-119.

Methodical bowling and tight field placements slowly strangled the life out of Queensland as the Tigers twin spinners in Jason Krejza and Xavier Doherty began to find their mark.

After removing Broad in the 26th over with a deceptive arm ball, a rejuvenated Doherty then applied himself to the task at hand and started a chain reaction of Bulls wickets.

Carseldine was deceived by a Brendan Drew slower ball at the start of the 31st over, which rattled his furniture, bringing his entertaining and powerful innings to a close while up the other end, Krejza was frustrating the Bulls middle order with precision line and length.

The frustration was telling as in the 33rd over. Glen Batticciotto attempted to dance down the wicket to Drew but only succeeded in lofting a catch to George Bailey, which resulted in the Bulls losing 3-24 in the space of seven overs.

With Queensland well and truly on the back foot, James Faulkner grassed an easy chance from Simpson in the deep which would have exposed the youthful Bulls tail in the 39th over. But it was left to Doherty to dismiss the home side captain two overs later with a wonderfully angled ball.

A late flourish from Nathan Reardon, who ended up with 55 from 54 balls via some lusty hitting helped the Bulls' cause but Krejza and Doherty had done enough to halt Queensland's charge before it hit 250.