Tasmania overcome disastrous start to hold off WA

Tasmania and Western Australia will share the spoils in the opening round of the Women's National Cricket League after the Tigers took game two by 26 runs.

WA could not have asked for a better start to the match, reducing the visitors to 3-0 after two overs with Chloe Ainsworth and Ebony Hoskin striking. 

But Tasmania's strong middle order responded, led by national team representative Nicola Carey, who hit 87. 

She was one of four Tasmanian players to pass 50 as the side in green posted a respectable 299. 

Tabatha Saville (56) backed up her standout effort with the bat on Tuesday, while Naomi Stalenberg (55) and Courtney Sippel (54no) also raised the bat.

In response, the early wickets of Beth Mooney (16) and Chloe Piparo (16) had the hosts on the back foot, and the team from the west were always behind the required run rate. 

However, a 79-run seventh-wicket stand between Ainsworth (58no) and Alana King (37), and some woeful fielding from Tasmania, kept WA in the contest. 

Sippel, Tassie's best bowler on the day, closed out the innings and finished with 3-47 while rookie left-armer Sara Kennedy finished with two wickets. 

In an injury concern for the Tigers, Lauren Smith was unable to complete her sixth over, showing discomfort to her lower leg.