Cartwright, Marsh push Ashes cases

Tasmania has fought back in the evening session on first day of their JLT Sheffield Shield day-night match against Western Australia in Perth.

The Warriors finished the first day 7-285 after rain delayed the start, with Magellan Ashes hopefuls Shaun Marsh (63) and Hilton Cartwright (61) each notching half-centuries at the WACA.

Nathan Coulter-Nile (36 not out) and Jhye Richardson (nine not out) banded together to keep the Tigers at bay in the last half hour before stumps.

While Marsh, Cartwright and Mitch Marsh (36) were all amongst the runs, Marcus Stoinis however only managed to score nine before being caught by Alex Doolan at mid-wicket.

One of Tasmania's Test hopefuls, Jackson Bird (2-46) bowled well in his return game from a hamstring strain and picked up both of his two wickets in the night session.

With only two wickets falling in the first two sessions it looked like the Warriors would dominate late into the night, however the ball moved enough under the lights to cause some chaos for the middle-order batsmen.

Sam Rainbird (2-73) captured the wickets of Cartwright and Ashton Turner (32) leg before wicket.

Mitch Marsh capitalised on overpitched bowling from Rainbird with two dashing fours' though was caught behind off Bird when he edged to keeper Matthew Wade.

Gabe Bell (2-68) chimed in and claimed his second wicket when he had Josh Inglis clean bowled for a sixth-ball duck.

Coulter-Nile and Turner led a Warriors' late night revival with a handy 41-run seventh wicket partnership.

Bell had made the perfect start to his maiden WACA Ground game, bowling Cameron Bancroft (18) with his second delivery.

The partnership between Cartwright and Shaun Marsh blossomed in the twilight session, sharing a valuable 111-run second wicket stand.

Bird went close three times to snaring Shaun Marsh lbw during his innings, twice in the shortened first session.

Marsh raised his bat for his 30th first-class fifty for Western Australia, from 110 balls with eight fours. Cartwright followed in the next over with his eighth first-class fifty for the Warriors.

Marsh was caught at fine leg by Rainbird whilst hooking a Fekete (1-79) short ball 10 minutes before the dinner break.

Earlier, the Warriors confirmed a controversial selection decision to drop veteran batsman Michael Klinger, who had not missed a match in the past four Sheffield Shield seasons since migrating West from South Australia.

Tasmania left out recently-returned Australian T20 wicketkeeper Tim Paine in favour of former Victorian and Australia Test gloveman Matthew Wade, who is making his first-class debut for the Tigers. 

Fast bowler Matthew Kelly is making his first-class debut for WA while Stoinis is playing his first match for WA since 2009 after his decision to leave the Bushrangers at the end of last season.