Matthew Nicholson couldn't buy a leg before wicket decision, so he decided to bypass the umpires and knock over the stumps instead.

Nicholson clean-bowled three of Tasmania's top-order batsmen at the Sydney Cricket Ground to set NSW on the way to their fourth consecutive Pura Cup victory.

Tasmania was 6-167 at stumps and leads by 71 heading into the last day.

Nicholson finished the day with 4-59 but the tall quick didn't have things all his own way, earning an on-field reprimand from umpires Nick Fowler and Daryl Harper for his behaviour following his first wicket in the match.

After going wicketless in the Tasmania's first innings, Nicholson twice had vociferous leg before wicket appeals turned down by Fowler.

So when he finally claimed a wicket by bowling David Dawson (21) he turned back to Fowler with his fists clenched, his body language screaming "try giving that not out".

Fowler and Harper gave Nicholson a quick dressing down and the fast bowler admitted he was out of line.

"The umpires just told me to cool down a bit," Nicholson said.

"It was the heat of the game - I got carried away and quite rightly they told me to settle down a bit."

In Nicholson's second spell the heat was all on the batsmen as he claimed 3-3 in a three over burst, removing Rhett Lockyear (20) LBW and clean-bowling George Bailey (0) and Michael Dighton (42).

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP