Queensland 48 for 3 (Labuschagne 20, Neil-Smith 2-18) trail Tasmania 198 (Neser 5-37) by 150 runs

Ashes star Michael Neser has continued his strong form with a five-wicket haul to help keep Queensland's Sheffield Shield final hopes alive. The seamer claimed 5 for 37 to bowl Tasmania out for 198 at Bellerive Oval on Saturday.

Queensland batters have been out of touch in recent Shield matches and it will be up to them to make the most of Neser's incisions when they resume on a precarious 48 for 3 on day two.

Big guns Matt Renshaw (10) and Marnus Labuschagne (20) fell cheaply as Tasmania's seamers Beau Webster and Lawrence Neil-Smith applied the pressure.

Queensland, in third position on the ladder, must win outright against Tasmania and hope ladder leaders Victoria can account for second-placed South Australia in order to make the Shield final. They also need to bank enough bonus points on top of those results to secure second spot.

The Bulls won the toss and went in search of quick wickets. They got them. Neser found the edge of Caleb Jewell's bat with the bucket hands of fellow international pacer Xavier Bartlett doing the rest at first slip. Bartlett then had Tim Ward lashing to gully and the hosts were 29 for 2.

Test opener Jake Weatherald (39 off 46 deliveries) was going along at a decent clip when he drove crisply to extra cover. Hugo Burdon dived to his right and while on his knees threw down the stumps at the striker's end after Weatherald had turned back in a forlorn attempt to make his ground.

Labuschagne has been in rare form with the ball of late and his wicket-taking ways continued when he cleaned up Charlie Wakim (28) with a classic offcutter on the cusp of lunch.

Neser found a lovely rhythm at the bowling crease and after lunch snared the key wickets of Beau Webster (23) and Jake Doran (31) with deliveries that moved away to take the edge. He then cleaned up the tail.