Tasmania are making a mockery of Western Australia’s embarrassing first innings total of just 67 on day one of the Sheffield Shield match at Bellerive.

At tea, the home side are 1-82 after paceman Jackson Bird had destroyed the Warriors with career-best figures of 6-25.

The 2011-12 Shield player of the year’s stunning effort couldn’t have come at a better time with Test spearhead James Pattinson in serious doubt for the third match against South Africa in Perth.

In contrast, former international cricketer of the year Mitchell Johnson’s first spell ended after just two overs at 0-14 before he returned to reach the break with 0-20 from five.

A quickfire 42 off just 30 balls from Tigers opener Mark Cosgrove got his side off to a bright start before he holed out to a brilliant Sam Whiteman outfield catch trying to hit spinner Michael Beer (1-6) out of the ground.

Ben Dunk is unbeaten on 23 and Alex Doolan 15 to have the Tigers leading by 15 with nine wickets in hand.

The Warriors bettered only NSW in 2006-07 (53) and South Australia (55) in 2010-11 in making the third-lowest Shield score ever at Bellerive after winning the toss and batting.

Only Marcus Harris (21) and Shaun Marsh (11) reached double figures on a pitch noticeably less green than for the season’s first two Shield matches at the venue.

Extracting more bounce and swing than in his previous outings, Bird struck three times before lunch to help reduce the Warriors to 7-60 at the break.

He single-handedly mopped up the tail with three quick wickets early in the afternoon session as WA recorded their sixth worst Shield score.