Test hopefuls fail as New South Wales crash to innings defeat
After being forced to follow-on, NSW crashed to 144 all out in their second innings as Bird and Owen shared six wickets
AAP
Published: Nov 1, 2026, 10:58 AM (51 mins ago)
Mitch Owen celebrates taking the final wicket to secure an innings win • Getty Images
Tasmania 427 (Hope 99, Doran 77, Wyllie 64, Dwarshuis 4-85) beat New South Wales 202 (Bird 4-39) and 144 (Bird 3-26) by an innings and 81 runs
Tasmania surged to an innings win, rifling through New South Wales' top order to wrap up their Sheffield Shield match inside three days.
Test hopefuls Sam Konstas, Kurtis Patterson and captain Nic Maddinson all went cheaply again on Sunday as Tasmania won at home for the second time this season.
After resuming at 174 for 8 in reply to Tasmania's 427, NSW were bundled out for 202 and predictably sent in again.
None of the top NSW batters reached double figures in the second innings - they collapsed to 31 for 5 and the match was over. After some late-order resistance, NSW were bundled out for 144.
The win put Tasmania top with two wins and a draw, while NSW are fourth with a loss and two draws.
Maddinson continued his horror run, trapped lbw by Jackson Bird for 1 after only making 2 in the first innings. Caught on the crease, Maddinson was furious at the call. He shook his head and glared at the umpire.
Maddinson is just back from the Test tour of South Africa, where he only managed 56 runs in four innings before being dropped.
Australia lost the series 2-1 after the top order crumbled again in the run chase at Newlands. But nothing at Bellerive a few hours later would have given the national selectors any clues about which batsmen might come into the Test side.
Gabe Bell trapped Konstas lbw for 2 and Patterson was caught behind off Bird for 9 after an injudicious swing at a wide delivery.
Returning from injury for his first Shield game this season, Bird snared 3 for 26 after four wickets in the first innings. Mitch Owen also picked up 3 for 36 in Tasmania's second-innings rampage.
Damningly for the NSW top order, five of their last six reached double figures. Ben Dwarhuis at No. 8 delayed the inevitable with 36 and No. 6 Jake Scott contributed 28.
