Tasmania have crawled out of the casualty ward after a bout of food poisoning to have ladder leaders Western Australia 4-72 at lunch on day one of the crucial Sheffield Shield match at Bellerive.

Forced to leave three players out with several in the squad hospitalised suffering suspected salmonella poisoning, the Tigers took advantage of another Hobart green-top after captain Ricky Ponting had won the toss and sent the Warriors in.

Pacemen Jackson Bird (2-19) and James Faulkner (2-17) both grabbed their doubles in quick bursts, WA recovering from 2-20 to be 2-72 before losing two wickets shortly before the break.

WA captain Adam Voges was unbeaten on 19 with Luke Ronchi yet to score.

Bird struck twice in the 13th over, removing both openers to reduce the Warriors to 2-20.

Liam Davis (nine) sent an edge flying high to Luke Butterworth at second slip before Wes Robinson (nine) was lbw offering no stroke.

Test discard Shaun Marsh and Voges put on 52 for the third wicket before Faulkner delivered his double blow.

He had Marsh caught behind for 34 at 3-72 and Travis Birt out in the same manner for a duck with the score the same.

The Tigers lost batsman Alex Doolan and allrounders Matt Johnston and Jeremy Smith with the stomach bug picked up by six or seven of the squad in Adelaide.

Jon Wells, Ben Laughlin and Sam Rainbird were drafted into the squad.