Tasmania 161 (Weatherald 55, Neser 6-37) and 70 for 1 trail Queensland 425 for 9 dec (Khawaja 127, Hearne 74) by 194 runs
He ripped through the home team’s top order in their Sheffield Shield match on Friday, taking the first six wickets of the Tasmania first innings in a devastating nine-over spell after lunch – all the wickets coming in the space of 39 balls.
Replying to Queensland’s first innings of 425 for 9 declared, Tasmania collapsed after lunch from 86 without loss and were dismissed for 161 at Bellerive Oval. Tasmania followed on and were still 194 runs behind with two days left.
While Queensland and Tasmania started this penultimate round as the bottom two teams, a big win would keep one of them in the hunt to make the final against SA.
Following Usman Khawaja’s century on Thursday, Neser’s command performance confirmed Queensland have the game by the throat.
He snared 6 for 37 from 15 overs. It is his third Shield game back after a hamstring injury in November while playing for Australia A cruelled his hopes of a Test return this summer.
The 34-year-old has played only two Tests, most recently against the West Indies in late 2022. Neser has had to bide his time, stuck in Australia’s pace-bowling queue behind Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland.
Neser bowled Weatherald for a top score of 55 and took a wicket in each of his next three overs. When he trapped Radhakrishnan lbw for 39 and bowled Beau Webster, Tasmania were 122 for 6 and Queensland were in the box seat.
Mark Steketee had Radhakrishnan caught behind for 24 late on day two, with Weatherald unbeaten on 39.
Gabe Bell and Webster took three wickets apiece in Queensland’s first innings.
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