Lawrence Neil-Smith's five-wicket haul takes the honours but Western Australia fight back

Josh Philippe produced a fighting half-century but Tasmania took the opening-day honours in the Sheffield Shield clash at the WACA Ground.

Tasmania paceman Lawrence Neil-Smith snared career-best figures of 5 for 43 as WA were dismissed for 238 shortly before stumps on Sunday. In reply, Tasmania ended the day at 1 for 8, with Jhye Richardson claiming the scalp of Tim Ward for a duck in the first over of his first Shield match for two years.

WA slumped to 4 for 40 and 5 for 80 after losing the toss and being sent in to bat under overcast conditions.

But Philippe (60 off 143 balls) produced a fighting knock to ensure the damage wasn't disastrous, before some handy runs from tailenders Richardson, Joel Paris, Lance Morris, and Matthew Kelly ensured WA passed 200.

WA also suffered a big batting collapse in their one-day loss to Tasmania on Friday, with the team slumping to 7 for 81 in that match. Stand-in WA skipper Ashton Turner described that batting effort as a train wreck, and it wasn't much better during the early stages of Sunday's opening day of the Shield clash.

Opener Sam Whiteman was the first to go when his leading edge went straight to gully. Cameron Bancroft (11) was bowled by paceman Gabe Bell, and alarm bells were ringing when star allrounder Cameron Green was trapped leg before wicket by Beau Webster. Shaun Marsh was the final wicket to fall in the morning session when he edged Neil-Smith behind.

Allrounder Hilton Cartwright put up some much-needed resistance alongside Philippe before becoming Neil-Smith's second victim. Philippe and D'Arcy Short dug in deep to stem the bleeding, and some handy runs from the tail gave WA a defendable first-innings total.

Neil-Smith claimed the key scalps of Marsh, Cartwright, Philippe, and Short among his impressive haul.