HOBART, Dec 19 AAP - An assault on one of cricket's most dismal records was the lowlight of a slow day as Queensland grafted to a solid position in the Pura Cup match against Tasmania in Hobart today.

Opener Brendan Nash's morning snail impersonation, plus a continuing Martin Love affair with Bellerive Oval, ensured the Bulls survived a difficult wicket and reached 4-249 at stumps on the first day after opting to bat.

Love was 127 not out and Lee Carseldine 19.

Chief culprit was Nash, the 25-year-old lefthanded opener, who was at the wicket for 88 minutes before he opened his account with an inside edge that squirted to square leg.

That was only nine minutes less than the world record 97 minutes it took England's Godfrey Evans to break his duck in the 1946-47 Test in Adelaide.

It took Nash another 33 minutes to get his second, just after lunch. Then he accelerated modestly before being bowled for 34 shortly before tea. He was there for 223 minutes, faced 174 balls and hit four boundaries late in his innings.

Nash said it was hard to score on the two-paced wicket.

He said the record was "not something you'd really want", but he'd not felt too bad about not scoring and Love had helped him get through the period.

In fairness to Nash, the wicket was tough. The bowlers, moreover, sprayed a lot that had to be left, especially before lunch.

This led to some extraordinary figures, notably for Shane Jurgensen, who at tea had conceded only one run off the bat from 15 overs -- but had also produced four wides and three no balls.

The morbid interest in Nash overshadowed Love's performance, yet it was a good indicator of the difficulties.

Love is a class act who loves Bellerive and only last month hit a double century for Australia A against England in less time that it took him to reach three figures today.

In the morning, the Love affair was rocky. His timing was astray and he regularly played and missed. But survival gradually became assurance and his innings was the critical one.

He has batted for 367 minutes, hit 20 fours and given one tough chance, on 103.

Queensland progressed by increments -- a mere 35 in the first session, 78 in the session and a healthy 136 in a long third.

Stuart Law (21) and Andrew Symonds (29) provided a little late zing, but couldn't capitalise on their starts.

Damien Wright (2-59) was the only multiple wicket taker in an attack that didn't fully capitalise on its opportunities, but also had little luck with edges -- many either just missing or just falling short of the slips.

© 2002 AAP NewsWire

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