Late wickets hurt Redbacks

Tasmania v South Australia, Sheffield Shield, Hobart, 1st day

South Australia 2 for 10 trail Tasmania 251 (Doolan 68, George 4-65, Christian 3-52) by 241 runs

The loss of two late wickets has soured a strong first day for South Australia in their Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania at Bellerive Oval on Friday.

The Redbacks did a superb job with the ball dismissing the hosts for 251 in just over 80 overs.

But needing to see off 10 overs themselves late in the day the Redbacks struggled, finishing at 2-10.

Opener Daniel Harris was dismissed for one off the bowling of Adam Maher, while Redbacks skipper Michael Klinger fell for a duck to Luke Butterworth in the last over of the day.

George finished with 4 for 65 and Christian collected 3 for 52 as the Tigers lost wickets on a regular basis. The major source of resistance came from Alex Doolan, whose innings of 68 came to an end when he was bowled by Christian.

The 29-year-old former New South Wales fast man Tim Lang picked up his maiden first-class wicket when he had Ed Cowan caught behind early in the innings, but George was the main worry for Tasmania.

Hopes and Hartley stage Queensland recovery

Victoria v Queensland, Sheffield Shield, Melbourne, 1st day

Queensland 5 for 226 (Hopes 75*, Hartley 64*) v Victoria

James Hopes and Chris Hartley rescued Queensland from a precarious position on a slow-moving opening day against Victoria at the MCG. The Bulls recovered from 5 for 89 to reach 5 for 226 by stumps, with the captain Hopes unbeaten on 75 and the wicketkeeper Hartley on 64.

Senior Bulls Chris Hartley and James Hopes have led a Queensland fightback on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at the MCG.

When stumps were drawn early because of bad light the Bulls were 5-226 with Hopes unbeaten on 75 and Hartley 64.

They've added 137 for the sixth wicket so far after coming together half-an-hour before tea with the score at 5-89.

The Bulls bats struggled to impose themselves early after being sent in by Bushrangers skipper Cameron White on a wicket tinged with green and moistened by Thursday's heavy rain in Melbourne.

Forty minutes of play was lost to passing showers during the middle session which prompted the umpires to extend play by half-an-hour to 4.10pm.

Teenage all-rounder Alex Keath is the 12th man for the Vics while Ben Cutting is carrying the drinks for the Bulls.