Time is the enemy for Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield final despite the removal of Queensland openers and emergency Test candidates Joe Burns and Matt Renshaw.
The Tigers lead by 244 runs, with the Bulls 3-233 in their first innings at stumps on day three at Allan Border Field in Brisbane.
The visitors are running out of time to take the 17 more wickets they need, on what appears to be a reasonably dull pitch, to secure outright victory and clinch the Shield title.
The abandonment of play on Friday's opening day due to a soaked outfield is already proving costly.
Sam Heazlett (37 not out) and Charlie Hemphrey (48 not out) are at the crease for Queensland, having rescued them from a shaky period just after the tea break with a 100-run stand on Sunday.
"It's pretty evenly poised," Burns said.
"We fought back from a tricky position, those two wickets straight after the break.
"If we come out tomorrow and bat well, we can take control of the game and just drive it from there."
Burns (49) was trapped lbw by Tom Rogers in the first ball of the session, leaving him one run short of what would have been his fourth half-century of the season to go with two tons.
Two overs later, Rogers struck again when he skittled Marnus Labuschagne with a sensational delivery to leave Queensland at 3-133.
Renshaw (37) looked uncharacteristically urgent in the middle, smacking four boundaries and two sixes before he edged Jackson Bird behind.
Burns and Renshaw are in the frame to potentially replace Test opener Cameron Bancroft, who is expected to be suspended for ball-tampering and will miss at least Australia's fourth Test in Johannesburg on Friday.
If any players from the Shield final are to be flown over to South Africa, a decision will need to be made well before Tuesday, when the final is due to finish - meaning players could be pulled mid-match.
Tasmania skipper George Bailey has also been floated as a left-field option to replace Steve Smith as captain.
Resuming on 6-360 in the morning, the Tigers were bowled out for 477 in their first innings.
Matthew Wade (108) converted his overnight score of 92 not out into an important century, but soon after was caught by Queensland wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson as he attempted to hook a short ball from rookie quick Brendan Doggett (5-101).
Sam Rainbird (57) helped pad out the score with his debut Shield half-century, as did handy contributions from Jackson Bird (13) and Andrew Fekete (25 not out).
Australian Associated Press
