HOBART, Nov 23 AAP - A fine all round performance by fast bowler Don Nash gave New South Wales the upper hand in the Pura Cup match against Tasmania in Hobart today.

Nash hit a lusty 50 to help boost the Blues first innings to 393 and then took three wickets to leave the Tigers a precarious 5-183 at stumps on the second day.

Tasmania suffered from the problem that's plagued it all season - its batsmen got starts, but couldn't convert them into a big innings.

This was particularly true of Michael Dighton, who briefly illuminated Bellerive Oval with a lovely 54, which included 10 imperious boundaries.

Captain Jamie Cox batted for almost two hours for a dogged 25 and Dan Marsh stayed 71 minutes for 22.

Scott Mason, the former opener who was recalled to add some barnacle to the middle order, did his job admirably for 124 minutes.

He batted with great concentration and occasional pugnacity for 39 before being given lbw to Stuart Clark for 39 just before stumps.

Allrounders Shane Watson (19) and Scott Kremerskothen (7) will resume the battle tomorrow, their first target being the 60 more needed to avoid the follow-on.

Nash bowled with aggression and accuracy and two of his wickets came when he extracted extra lift that caught an edge.

Plenty of other deliveries beat the edge as he gave the batsmen almost nothing they could hit with safety and finished with 3-39 from 19 overs, nine of them maidens.

The Blues were hampered by Stuart MacGill being hit on the hand while batting in the morning.

The leg spinner didn't take the field until after tea, when he bowled four relatively expensive overs and left again.

NSW resumed in the morning at 6-280 and Tasmania did a poor job of wrapping up the innings, bowling waywardly and dropping two difficult catches.

Nash, Nathan Bracken (38 no) and Stuart Clark (24) made them pay with some big but never outrageous hitting.

A 56-run eighth wicket stand between Nash and Bracken in 43 minutes was particularly damaging and Clark added insult to injury when he helped Bracken put on a further 41 for the last wicket.

It was finally ended when Kremerskothen had Clark caught off the first ball after lunch.

The wickets were shared, Damien Wright finishing with three and debutant Adam Griffith, Watson and Kremerskothen taking two each.

© 2002 AAP

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.