Tasmania 179 for 4 (Webster 69*, Doran 68*) trail New South Wales 181 (Davies 67, Henriques 50, Bell 4-29) by two runs

Webster and Doran were unbeaten on 68 apiece at stumps on day one after putting on 131 for the fifth wicket to wrest the momentum away from NSW on a hectic first day that featured 14 wickets.

Tasmania, who are second on the Shield ladder, were 179 for 4 at stumps in reply to NSW's 181 after the home side won the toss in overcast conditions at Bellerive Oval.

The home side had slumped to 48 for 4 before Webster and Doran first blunted the visitors' counterpunch and then put Tasmania in a solid position.

It is Webster's sixth Shield half-century this summer and he has the third-highest runs total in the competition, with 453 from five matches at an average of 47.68.

He also took two wickets as NSW never quite recovered from their disastrous start. After Ryan Hackney was dismissed in the first over of the game, a poorly judged third run cost No.3 Blake Macdonald his wicket thanks to slick fielding from Brad Hope and Jordan Silk.

But when Webster caught Davies to give Lawrence Neil-Smith his third wicket, NSW were 165 for 8. Bell snared 4 for 29 and Neil-Smith took 3 for 57, with the NSW innings done in just 42 overs.

That left Tasmanian four down and on the brink before Webster and Doran ensured day one belonged to the home side.