A Ben Hilfenhaus hat-trick ensured a Queensland collapse before lunch on day three of the Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at Bellerive.

The former Test paceman scythed through the Bulls’ batting, trapping James Hopes (12) lbw before clean bowling Ben Cutting (0) and Cameron Boyce (0) with a menacing display of reverse swing.

Hilfenhaus (4-49) and his teammates celebrated wildly as Queensland, who had resumed at 3-136, were reduced to 8-170.

The 30-year-old, who played 27 Tests, became the fourth Tasmanian to take a Shield hat-trick.

Not to be outdone, fellow paceman Andrew Fekete (3-41) will start the second innings on a hat-trick after mopping up the tail with consecutive deliveries.

The Bulls lost 7-47 to be all out 183, 167 behind Tasmania’s first innings of 350.

At lunch, the Tigers were 1-1 in their second dig after losing Ed Cowan (1) cheaply.

Only rising star Joe Burns passed 50, the opener carrying his bat to remain unbeaten on 91 from 226 balls.

It didn’t take long for Queensland to find themselves in trouble and they were 5-145 when left-armer Sam Rainbird (3-55) removed Peter Forrest (24) and Chris Hartley (0).

Hopes and Burns looked to stabilise with a partnership of 25 before Hilfenhaus trapped the Bulls skipper in front with a yorker.

Cutting and Boyce looked all at sea as they attempted to keep the burly paceman out and Queensland were soon in strife.

More stumps were rattled when the impressive Fekete sent Alister McDermott (4) on his way and he had Luke Feldman lbw next ball.

The Shield’s finalists from last season both need an outright victory to stay in touch with the ladder leaders.