Tasmanian captain Jamie Cox was pleasantly surprised to see the South Australian middle order crumble on what he rated as a good batting pitch on day one of their Pura Cup match at Adelaide Oval today.

The Redbacks were dismissed for 200 in their first innings, handing Tasmania the upper hand in a match that will play a major role in deciding which team makes the Pura Cup final.

Tasmania was 1-26 in reply at stumps, with Cox at the crease on 21 and Michael Dighton on four.

SA won the toss and started solidly, Ben Johnson (50) and David Fitzgerald (31) putting on a 69-run opening stand, although Johnson was dropped by Daniel Marsh at first slip when he was on 12 and the score on 19.

But the Redbacks lost 7-50 to slump to 7-119, pacemen David Saker, Damien Wright and Shane Jurgensen the main destroyers.

The bowlers were accurate and patient, but loose batting was a greater cause of the collapse, with Greg Blewett (five) out cheaply slashing an off-drive straight to point, and Johnson out cutting straight to point in an equally soft dismissal.

Chris Davies (19) was also the victim of his own poor batting, when he left a straight ball from left arm spinner Marsh which hit his off-stump.

Cox said SA had looked headed for a big total when Johnson and Fitzgerald were at the crease and there had been no great assistance from the pitch.

"They just didn't look in too much trouble, they played and missed a bit, but both the openers played without too much concern so it was a bit of a shock when wickets started to fall," Cox said.

Saker finished with 3-63, and Wright and Jurgensen took two wickets each.

Tailender Peter McIntyre (40) and wicketkeeper Graham Manou (33) offered the only resistance to the Tigers, with a 65-run eight wicket stand, the only partnership of the innings other than that of the openers to reach 20 runs.

Cox said the ability of his bowlers to maintain a good line and length was the key.

"It is the key on any wicket, you can't afford to go for too many here," he said.

"Not having Darren Lehmann walk in at number four was also a blessing."

With WA seemingly headed for outright defeat against Victoria, the winner of this match will be in prime position to make the Pura Cup final, which Cox said added extra incentive, particularly given an outright result appears likely here.

"That is a huge bonus for us if WA loses and we win," Cox said.

"With 11 wickets falling on the first day in Adelaide you would expect an outright decision."

© 2002 AAP