Western Australian tradesman Justin Langer rolled up his sleeves today and dismantled Tasmania's first innings lead brick by brick with a century in the Pura Cup match at the WACA.

At stumps, WA was 2-226 in reply to Tasmania's 337.

In a day of milestones, Jo Angel claimed his 350th Sheffield Shield-Pura Cup wicket in the morning and then sat back to enjoy Langer's 50th first class ton.

Langer was prepared to be patient, reaching 133 off 247 deliveries before he was trapped LBW by David Saker in the 84th over.

He joined fellow Ashes tourist Simon Katich (75 not out) in a 193-run stand that laid the platform for WA to overtake Tasmania's first innings total before lunch tomorrow.

With Australian selector Andrew Hilditch looking on, Langer erased any questions about who would partner Queensland's Matthew Hayden at the top of the order in the first Test at the Gabba.

He gave away just one chance, while on 103, when Daniel Marsh grassed a sharp catch off Shane Watson.

Marsh's agony continued when Katich also received a life, on 36, when he edged an attempted cut shot off the spinner to an unsuspecting Dene Hills at second slip.

Katich appeared determined to bat his way out of a worrying early season form slump through time in the middle and he succeeded, facing 218 deliveries for his 75.

Mike Hussey (nine) was the other man out when he edged Damien Wright to Marsh in the slips.

The Tigers resumed this morning at 8-316, and were all out 7.1 overs and 21 runs later when Angel (4-53) removed Saker for 28.

In doing so, he became just the seventh man to reach the 350 milestone and is now within striking distance of overtaking former team-mate Terry Alderman as WA's leading wicket taker.

Victorian and South Australian legspinner Clarrie Grimmett appears untouchable at the head of the list with 513 wickets from 79 matches, while Alderman is next with 384 from 95 matches.

But Angel's 350 came in just his 86th match and, if he has a season like last year when he took 37 wickets from eight games, he is not without hope of toppling Alderman's mark from less appearances.

Carl Rackemann (383), Geoff Lawson (367), Jeff Thomson and Greg Matthews (353) all stand between Angel and Alderman, but only Thomson played less than 100 matches.

The Queensland paceman, who holds the world record for the the fastest delivery at 160.45kph, claimed 355 wickets in 85 matches.

Langer said he had treated every innings since his 102 in the final Ashes Test as a warm-up for the upcoming series.

"I've felt really relaxed with my cricket, batting well and scoring a lot of runs," he said.

"I've always maintained scoring runs is a habit. It doesn't matter where you get them, in club cricket, Pura Cup or Test cricket.

"You get in the habit of making runs and it augurs well for your next innings."

© 2001 AAP