Tasmania hold a 64-run lead after two days' play, an advantage that would have been far more imposing had it not been for Joe Burns' remarkable lone hand
Match Report:
ScorecardBurns rescues Bulls with marathon 171 against Tigers
Joe Burns has posted an impressive century in his first Marsh Sheffield Shield game since being axed by national selectors, dragging Queensland to a total of 275 in their clash with Tasmania.
Burns was out for 171 late in the final session on day two at Blundstone Arena, where he counter-punched in style after the hosts' post-lunch fightback.
Tasmania reached 0-7 at stumps, holding a lead of 64.
Burns was dropped from Australia's XI - and an enlarged national squad - after the Boxing Day Test.
The opener, who was restricted to KFC BBL duties throughout the rest of Australia's four-Test series against India, enjoyed a productive return to red-ball cricket in Hobart.
The slog-sweep for six by Joe Burns! The Queensland opener has just brought up his 150 too: https://t.co/ob76tzHG5H#SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/wf29Cbw5k0%E2%80%94 cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 18, 2021
Tasmania banked a first-innings lead of 57 runs, having been bowled out for 332 earlier on Thursday, but it would have been far more imposing without Burns.
Marnus Labuschagne, captain Usman Khawaja, Matthew Renshaw, Jimmy Peirson, Jack Wildermuth and Mark Steketee departed in a collapse of 6-37.
Presenting Marnus Labuschagne's effort from today 😆 #NoRun #SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/M3I5IhdVa1%E2%80%94 cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 18, 2021
Burns, who was 97 not out at Thursday's tea break, looked at risk of running out of partners as he hunted a hundred.
But Xavier Bartlett, debutant Matt Kuhnemann and Brendan Doggett helped the right-hander celebrate his ton and shepherd the Bulls from 7-161 to far beyond 200.
Burns was the 10th wicket to fall, going down swinging at Beau Webster's off-spin as the versatile bowler finished with a career-best haul of 4-50.
Labuschagne copped a nasty bouncer blow to the grille, inflicted by paceman Gabe Bell during the 28th over of the innings.
Ding ding ding! 🔔 Gabe Bell lands a blow on the head of Marnus Labuschagne! Thankfully, he's right to continue after a change of helmet #SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/DEFEVuiSdh%E2%80%94 cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 18, 2021
The 115-run stand between Burns and Labuschagne ended when the latter, ranked third on the Test batting charts, was trapped lbw on 49 by Nathan Ellis.
Burns then watched from the non-striker's end as carnage unfolded, with much of it generated by Webster's medium pace.
Webster, who made his name as a towering off-spinning allrounder, worked hard last year to add another string to his bow.
The 27-year-old on Thursday reaped the rewards of that off-season toil, steaming in to remove Khawaja, Renshaw and Wildermuth in quick succession.
Khawaja and Renshaw both edged deliveries to Test captain Tim Paine, while Wildermuth was trapped lbw for a third-ball duck.
Burns, Labuschagne and Bartlett (25) were the only batsmen to reach double figures in table-topping Queensland's first innings.