Tigers end season on high by crushing Bulls

Beau Webster was too hot to handle for the Queensland top order as Tasmania finished their season with a 140-run win at home.

Webster's 4-53 from 20 quality overs stamped the Test allrounder's class when the game was on the line as the Bulls collapsed to be all out for 221 in a run chase that never looked likely.

Queensland entered the match at Bellerive Oval with a chance to finish second and reach the Sheffield Shield final with an outright win but their batters let them down, as they have done in recent matches.

In their final 10 innings of the Shield season, which included one incomplete innings where they were 6-44 before being saved by rain, Queensland passed 200 only twice.

It was a case of more of the same against Tasmania, when the Bulls' batters managed a first innings of 178 after the bowlers had toiled well to restrict the hosts to 198.

Bulls captain Marnus Labuschagne and opener Matt Renshaw needed hefty scores on the final day to give Queensland any chance of making the 362 runs set for victory, but both fell for 29. 

The duo had been in wonderful Shield form earlier in the season, with Labuschagne notching two centuries and Renshaw three.

But since returning from international duties both have found runs elusive.

Renshaw edged a seaming Webster delivery to Jordan Silk at first slip while Labuschagne was the victim of brilliant fielding.

Jack Clayton punched to point and called for a single but Kieran Elliott swooped and hit the stumps from side-on with Labuschagne well short.

Webster had Lachlan Hearne (eight) nicking off and the Bulls had slumped to 4-73. 

Allrounders Michael Neser (23) and Xavier Bartlett (36) played entertaining cameos after Webster had dismissed Clayton (30), the last of the recognised batters, who chopped on.

Billy Stanlake and Elliott both picked up two wickets in a strong Tasmania team display to end their season.

Sheffield Shield 2025-26 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Drawn D	No results N/R	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 Victoria Men VIC	10	7	2	1	0	0	8.56	9.3	60.86
2 South Australia Men SA	10	4	2	4	0	0	7.61	9.2	44.81
3 Queensland Bulls QLD	10	3	4	3	0	0	8.18	8.2	37.38
4 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	10	4	4	2	0	2	3.73	8.5	36.23
5 NSW Men NSW	10	2	4	4	0	0	6.94	8.6	31.54
6 Western Australia Men WA	10	1	5	4	0	0	2.95	9.2	22.15

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points