Bancroft pushes Western Australia to 258

Cameron Bancroft missed out on the chance for his first century at first-class level as Western Australia were bowled out for 258 on the first day against Tasmania in Hobart. Bancroft made 93 and Adam Voges scored 59 as the Warriors fought hard after being sent in by the Tasmania captain Tim Paine, who collected five catches on his 29th birthday.

Bancroft and Luke Towers put on 58 for the opening wicket before Towers was lbw to Sam Rainbird for 28 and Evan Gulbis (3 for 44) then had Shaun Marsh caught for 1. Voges and Bancroft then combined for a 113-run partnership that ended when Voges was caught behind off Andrew Fekete, but the best of Paine's catches was a 30-metre sprint and dive to collect a top edge from Sam Whiteman (24).

Bancroft was caught off the bowling of Xavier Doherty for 93 and there was little real resistance from the tail as the Warriors were bowled out in their 90th over. The Tasmania openers, Jordan Silk (4 not out) and Mark Cosgrove (2 not out) batted through until stumps, with the Tigers on 0 for 7 and trailing by 251 runs.