Veteran NSW batsman Simon Katich will be assessed by medical staff on Tuesday morning after suffering concussion when he top-edged a pull shot into his face on day one of the Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at Bellerive.

Katich was taken to hospital for X-rays after he was hit but Blues staff were confident he would be cleared of any fracture.

The 36-year-old suffered bruising and mild concussion when he deflected the delivery from impressive Tigers paceman Luke Butterworth, the ball flying off the former Test opener’s bat and striking him above the left eye.

He was treated on the ground by Blues medical staff but retired hurt on 46 and the assessment on day two will determine what further part, if any, he takes in the match.

At stumps, Tasmania were 0-24 after NSW had declared their innings at 7-341 late on day one, Steven Smith top-scoring with 98 and Ben Rohrer making 83.

It might have been better for the Blues, though, with Smith dropping both Tigers openers at second slip in consecutive balls from Scott Coyte’s bowling.

Katich and Smith put on 122 for the third wicket as the Blues recovered from 2-39 after they were sent in on a green wicket.

Smith somehow survived the early seam movement, nicking almost as many as he majestically hit to the boundary for 13 fours and a six.

He fell not offering a shot to Butterworth (2-55) and cut a forlorn figure as he trudged off with the score 3-172.

Rohrer kept the momentum with the visitors, while the Tigers’ catching didn’t help them.

They’d missed Katich when he was 12 and dropped Rohrer twice in the first two overs after tea when he was 30 and 31.

The home side bounced back to take four wickets in the evening session before some lusty hitting from Sean Abbott (19no) and Trent Copeland (15no) set up the surprise declaration.

Earlier, Phil Hughes’ Bellerive nightmare had continued when he made just one, while fellow Test discard Usman Khawaja made 21.