Sheffield Shield: Tasmania v New South Wales, day one

STUMPS: Tasmania squandered near-perfect bowling conditions for a second successive home Sheffield Shield match.

Hamish Kingston celebrates after dismissing Kurtis Patterson. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt

STUMPS: TASMANIA squandered near-perfect bowling conditions for a second successive home Sheffield Shield match as it looks to finish its campaign on a positive note.

The Tigers went wicketless in the opening session against NSW after captain Matthew Wade won the toss and elected to bowl on an overcast, humid morning, a week after squandering a similar chance against Western Australia with its season on the line.

Blues openers Daniel Hughes and Nick Larkin compiled a 99-run stand before they both failed to kick on, and by stumps honours were evenly shared as the visitors, who need an outright win to secure a spot in the final, finished at 7-311.

South Hobart-Sandy Bay teammates Simon Milenko (2-39) and Hamish Kingston (1-42) dragged the hosts back into the contest with three wickets between drinks and tea, while a double strike with the second new ball from Jackson Bird (3-71) separated a dangerous stand between Jason Sangha and Jack Edwards.

Tasmanian bowler Simon Milenko, second from right, celebrates after snaring a wicket. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt

However on both occasions Tasmania was unable to turn the momentum its own way, with Trent Copeland (30 not out from 31 balls) hitting out late to put some quick runs on the board.

“They were great bowling conditions, we didn’t utilise them as best we could but at the end of the day we still got seven wickets and we are still in the game,” said Milenko, who came into the side alongside Kingston.

“They played and missed at a lot of balls, a few of those edges go our way you never know what can happen.

“We had patches where we were good, we probably just didn’t maintain it for long enough, consistently enough, but there were some positives out of it… but just weren’t quite where we wanted to be or needed to be in that first session.”

Despite having its final aspirations dashed with the loss to WA last week, Milenko insisted the Tigers still have plenty to play for, both individually and as a team.

“There are guys playing for all different stages, there is an Ashes tour coming up that is relevant for a few guys probably, other guys, contracting, there is always stuff going on and everyone wants to do well.

“We want to win to finish the season well and finish as high on the ladder as we can.”

TEA UPDATE: TASMANIA’S two inclusions for the final Sheffield Shield match of the season have dragged the Tigers back into its contest against NSW at Blundstone Arena.

South Hobart-Sandy Bay pair Simon Milenko and Hamish Kingston, who took the spots of Alex Pyecroft and Sean Willis, snared three wickets after drinks in the second session to lead a fightback after the hosts went wicketless in the first having elected to bowl.

NSW is 4-170 at tea, slipping from its position of dominance at lunch where openers Daniel Hughes (61) and Nick Larkin (67) survived the two hours to guide the visitors to 0-75.

New South Wales batsman Moises Henriques, left, departs after his dismissal at the hands of Simon Milenko. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt

Kingston, playing his first Shield match in two years, struck on the first ball after drinks when he bowled Kurtis Patterson.

Daniel Hughes raises his bat after reaching his half century. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt

Patterson’s last appearance in Hobart yielded a pair of centuries for Australia A which saw him thrust into the Test series against Sri Lanka.

All rounder Milenko then picked up two wickets in five balls to open up the Blues’ middle order.

Larkin’s resistance came to an end when he edged to Alex Doolan at second slip, before Moises Henriques fell in Milenko’s next over, caught at gully.

Jackson Bird made the initial breakthrough, ending a 99-run partnership between Hughes and Larkin courtesy of a spectacular reflex catch from skipper Matthew Wade.

Hughes edged Bird into the slips where Doolan spilt a straight forward chance, only for Wade to grab the rebound one-handed diving low to his left.

NSW debutant Nick Bertus is unbeaten on three, while Jason Sangha is eight not out at tea.

LUNCH UPDATE: TASMANIA’S bowlers have squandered another successful coin toss after being handed first use of a green Blundstone Arena pitch against New South Wales.

A week after watching Western Australia amass 367 — and only managing 197 in reply en route to an outright defeat that eliminated them from finals contention — the Tigers went wicketless on the opening morning of their clash with the Blues.

It was the worst possible outcome for the hosts after skipper Matthew Wade won the toss and unsurprisingly elected to bowl on a deck covered in grass and with plenty of cloud cover to promote swing.

Blues batsman Daniel Hughes during day 1 of the Round 10 Sheffield Shield cricket match between Tasmania and New South Wales at Blundstone Arena. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt

NSW openers Nick Larkin (26 not out) and Daniel Hughes (43 not out) saw several hooping deliveries beat the edge of the bat — as expected in the seam-friendly conditions — but were otherwise largely untroubled as they set up a platform for their side to pile on a big first innings total by reaching 0-75 at lunch.

Tigers spearhead and competition leading wicket-taker Jackson Bird, who failed to take a second-innings wicket against the Warriors, again looked below his best, with a recent heavy workload perhaps taking its toll.

Tigers players observe a minute’s silence in response to the New Zealand mosque shootings prior to the commencement of play between Tasmania and New South Wales at Blundstone Arena. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt

Gabe Bell and season debutant Hamish Kingston, one of two changes from last week, also struggled to consistently land the ball in dangerous areas.

Hughes has struck eight boundaries, while a more circumspect Larkin found the rope on two occasions.

Speedster Riley Meredith was the pick of the host’s attack with 0-8 from seven overs.

Tasmania also included all-rounder Simon Milenko in its starting XI, with Alex Pyecroft and Sean Willis making way.

NSW, which will secure its spot in the final with maximum points, has two debutants in action in Nick Bertus and wicketkeeper Baxter Holt.

Players held a minute’s silence prior to the start of play in response to the New Zealand mosque shootings.

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