Ben McDermott's 88* holds South Australia at bay
Key partnerships with Jake Doran and Lawrence Neil-Smith frustrate South Australia after Wes Agar made three early strikes
ESPNcricinfo staff
09-Dec-2019
Ben McDermott pulls through square leg • Getty Images
Tasmania 254 and 6 for 241 (McDermott 88*, Agar 3-44) lead South Australia 346 (Weatherald 126, Carey 73, Bird 4-70) by 149 runs
South Australia's charge towards a drought-breaking Sheffield Shield win was halted a fine unbeaten 88 from Tasmania's Ben McDermott to put the game back in the balance at Bellerive Oval.
Tasmania had slumped to 4 for 55 after Wes Agar had ripped through the top order to leave Tasmania 37 behind with only six wickets in hand. But McDermott stood firm absorbing 232 deliveries to make an unbeaten 88 that only included nine boundaries. He got excellent support from Jake Doran who contributed 44 in their 94-run partnership. Lawrence Neil-Smith also made 31 not out in a 69-run unbeaten seven-wicket stand that saw Tasmania through to stumps.
McDermott is just 12 shy of what would be his second first-class century but Tasmania have an opportunity to set South Australia a decent final day chase for their first Shield win in more than two seasons, just a week after they fell agonisingly short against Western Australia.
Earlier, George Bailey fell for a golden duck in his final Shield innings. He lost his off stump not offering a shot to an Agar off-cutter that jagged a long way off the seam. Bailey is set to retire from Shield cricket after this game to take up a post a national selector for the Australian teams.