A bold declaration from NSW captain Simon Katich late on Sunday set Tasmania a small target to win the Sheffield Shield final at Bellerive Oval. With the Tigers needing only a draw to win the Shield, Katich pulled the pin at 5-215 late on day four, setting the hosts a victory target of 203.
The aggressive move should have paid dividends in the four overs the Tigers faced, but the Blues missed three catches in four overs, which let the Tigers finish the day at 0-17, needing 186 to win.
Nick Kruger (four not out) was dropped by Phil Hughes at second slip, before Hughes and Usman Khawaja let a catchable chance from Ed Cowan (13 not out) sail by them.
Cowan had another life in the following over when he was dropped at short leg by Phil Jaques.
After the Tigers were dismissed for 453 on Sunday morning, Ben Hilfenhaus (2-32) shook the Blues top order with pace and swing, claiming two wickets for six runs from his first six overs.
He claimed Dave Warner’s scalp with an outswinger which the left-handed opener could only edge through to wicketkeeper Tom Triffitt to be out for two.
In his next over, Hilfenhaus knocked recent Test debutant Usman Khawaja’s off stump out of the ground to have the Blues 2-6.
Jaques and Hughes were solid after lunch, and looked assured of centuries before both fell in the 90s.
Hughes edged young left-armer James Faulkner (1-41) behind on 93, before run-outs in consecutive overs eradicated any chance of the Blues posting a score above 250.
Katich (eight) was struck on the pad and set off down the pitch, but was caught short of his ground by a direct hit from Mark Cosgrove at gully.
Jaques then took off for a risky single, but was also short of his ground when Alex Doolan knocked the stumps down at the non-striker’s end.
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