The NSW total was the fourth-lowest in the history of the Sheffield Shield
New South Wales 32 (Bird 7-18) trail Tasmania 333 by 301 runs
On an extraordinary second day in Hobart, defending Sheffield Shield champions New South Wales were demolished for 32 – their lowest first-class total and the fourth-lowest of all-time in the Shield – as Jackson Bird bagged a career-best 7 for 18.
Only captain Peter Nevill reached double figures, unbeaten on 10, when last-man Harry Conway edged Sam Rainbird to Tim Paine with the injured Sean Abbott, who split the webbing in his right hand yesterday, unable to bat. Tasmania opted not to enforce the follow-on.
Earlier in the season, New South Wales had been bowled out for 64 by Tasmania in Adelaide but were able to turn that match on its head to secure victory.
Here they lost two wickets in their first over – Daniel Hughes and Daniel Solway lbw to Bird – and the entire innings lasted less than 20 overs. Before they had managed a run, Kurtis Patterson also departed when he got an inside edge against Bird.
Seven overs past before the mayhem resumed, Jason Sangha beaten by one from Peter Siddle that nipped back and perhaps kept a fraction low.
Then it was back to Bird who had Nick Larkin taken at short leg from an inside edge that ballooned off the pad with Mitchell Starc walking in at No. 7 before lunch.
He did not last long after the interval, flashing an edge to Matthew Wade at slip to give Bird his five-wicket haul in the space of 45 deliveries.
Fortune was on Bird’s side for his next wicket when Trent Copeland’s edge was parried by third slip and taken by first and two balls later Nathan Lyon chipped to mid-on.
Bird had been at the forefront of the action when play resumed with Tasmania 7 for 258 as he struck 54 off 55 balls, just his second first-class half-century, in an eighth-wicket stand of 83 with Paine to lift the home side well over 300.