Phil Jaques clobbered 85 runs off 60 balls and Michael Bevan played a typically composed supporting role as NSW went perilously close to snatching an outright victory over Tasmania in the Pura Cup match at the SCG.

The match finished in a draw when NSW, chasing 176 runs from 22 overs to claim the maximum six points, levelled the scores by reaching 3-175 from the last ball of a frenetic final session.

The Blues required ten runs from the final over with Simon Katich and big-hitting wicketkeeper Nathan Pilon at the crease.

Young left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty was the bowler. Katich needed three runs from the last ball, but managed only two.

Jaques had motored to his half-century off only 33 balls and with renowned Australian one-day player Bevan milking 53 from 49 balls, the Blues were right in the hunt.

Jaques' stumping by Tasmanian gloveman Sean Clingeleffer off the impressive young tweaker Doherty, who was cool under pressure, stemmed the run flow at a crucial moment and left the Blues 2-131 in the 18th over.

Katich's 13 runs from eight balls and Pilon's 19 off 14 got the Blues within a whisker.

NSW fast bowler Brett Lee, recalled to the Australian team for the Boxing Day Test, took the field in high spirits but failed to take a wicket all day as Tasmanian allrounder Shane Watson made a career-best 157 to ensure the visitors reached the relative safety of 9-315.

Michael Di Venuto could not bat for Tasmania because of a broken finger.

Bracken, having held off the challenge of teammate Matthew Nicholson for his Test position, gave the Blues their glimmer of hope when he had Clingeleffer LBW for 20, Andrew Downton caught behind for two and also enticed en edge behind from Watson.

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