West Australian opener Sam Whiteman is leading a Warriors fightback on day three of the Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at Bellerive.

Whiteman is unbeaten on 60 with WA 2-117 in their second innings at lunch, but still 264 away from making the Tigers bat for a second time.

The 20-year-old, in just his third Shield match, has passed his previous best of 29, continuing some good form after he made 74 in a one-day match against South Australia at the WACA earlier this month.

Warriors captain Adam Voges is with Whiteman on 21, the pair having put on 63 for the third wicket.

The visitors lost only Marcus North (33) in the morning session, to the second ball of the day.

The Shield’s leading wicket-taker Jackson Bird (2-31), overlooked when national selectors called up three pacemen for the third Test against South Africa, had North caught in the gully by Evan Gulbis at 2-54.

The best Bellerive batting strip of the season means Tasmania will need to work hard in their push for an innings victory, spinner Xavier Doherty (0-28) seeing 10 overs of rare action at the normally pace-friendly venue.

Overcast conditions and the possibility of light showers in Hobart could boost WA’s chances of avoiding an embarrassing defeat after they made just 67 in their first innings.

Warriors Test call-up Mitchell Johnson has been replaced in the match by Nathan Rimmington.