Ricky Ponting’s 76 has ensured that Tasmania remains well in control of their Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia at the WACA Ground.

After taking a 114-run first innings lead when they bowled out WA for a paltry 97 early on day two in Perth, Tasmania came back out to bat and moved to 5-153 to bank an overall lead of 267 runs.

Alex Doolan was the next biggest contributor after Ponting with a handy 33 while Jon Wells is unbeaten on 12 and James Faulkner not out on three at the break.

Tasmania gained their ascendancy in the match midway through day one when they recovered from being 8-138 to scrape to 211 after being sent in to bat by WA captain Michael Hussey.

The total still didn’t look to be a big score but the way WA batted it soon looked enormous.

The Warriors crumbled to 6-54 at stumps on the first day and then only managed another 43 for the loss of their last four wickets to start off day two.

Luke Butterworth was the star with the ball for Tasmania taking 5-35 but all of the Tigers’ quicks performed well to rout the Warriors for double figures.

However, first-innings points won’t be enough for the Tigers to stay in contention for next month’s final. They need an outright result and now with a lead of 267 with five wickets in hand they look on track to achieve that.

Even though Tasmania slipped to 2-10 with openers Ben Dunk (eight) and Mark Cosgrove (one) out cheaply, Doolan and Ponting then put on 92 in what is the biggest partnership of the match so far.

Ponting looked on track for his 80th first-class century before mishitting a pull shot off Ryan Duffield, who has taken 3-42.

George Bailey then fell soon after for 13 and Burt Cockley and Michael Hogan have taken a wicket each for the Warriors.