Tigers make solid start to Shield 'semi'

Tasmania and Victoria are neck-and-neck in their race for a spot in the JLT Sheffield Shield final after a topsy-turvy day one at Blundstone Arena.

The Tigers finished 7-304 at stumps on Wednesday after losing the toss and being sent in to bat.

The winner in Hobart will book a place in the first-class decider against Queensland from March 23.

Second-placed Tasmania were just 0.18 points ahead of Victoria on the ladder heading into the final-round match. They've stretched that to 0.52 after allocation of day one bonus points.

The Sheffield Shield scoring system awards bonus points for runs scored and wickets taken within the fist 100 overs of each team's first innings.Six competition points are on offer for an outright win.

Six of the Tigers top seven made decent starts but none went on to reach triple figures.

In form Jake Doran top scored with 57 - his third half century in as many matches.

He played on to Chris Tremain (4-64) early in the third session to leave the Tigers teetering at 5-193.

But ex-Bushranger Matthew Wade (49) and allrounder Simon Milenko (37) steadied the ship.

Wade was dropped on 42 by Glenn Maxwell but holed out sevens runs later in the shadow of stumps, hooking Tremain straight down the throat of Travis Dean.

Tom Rogers and Sam Rainbird will resume on day two.

Dan Christian picked up two important scalps throughout the day including Tigers' skipper George Bailey, who was caught behind down the leg side for 29 after tea.

Tasmania were 1-74 at lunch on the back of opener Jordan Silk, who went on to score 55.

The Bushrangers are chasing their fourth-straight first-class title, while the Tigers are aiming to make their first decider since success in 2012-13. 

The match takes on special poignancy for Tasmania, who will be sporting black armbands in honour of former state cricketer Tony Benneworth, who drowned in a boating accident over the weekend.

Benneworth played in Tasmania's inaugural Sheffield Shield win in 1977-78 and was part of the side that won Tasmania's first domestic one-day competition, with 3-14 in the final.