The Tasmanian Tigers have recorded an emphatic victory in their first Sheffield Shield fixture, dispatching the Westend Redbacks with a day to spare at Karen Rolton Oval.
The Tigers handed Shield debuts to former South Australian star Jake Weatherald, and young gun Mitch Owen, and the latter impressed straight away - taking a hanger at third slip to give Gabe Bell the first wicket of the red ball season.
Owen then starred with the ball, taking two wickets in quick succession to have South Australia all at sea for 4-49.
Despite the horror start, the Redbacks responded positively, with skipper Jake Lehmann and new recruit Jake Fraser-McGurk adding over 50 runs for the next wicket, before Jarrod Freeman removed the former Victorian.
Ben Manenti exploded for 71 runs off just 60 balls to help South Australia recover to 7-225, and Lehmann raised the bat for an excellent ton shortly after, the South Australian skipper leading from the front to rescue his side from a Day One collapse.
Lehmann finally fell to Bell on 115, and with a little help from the tail, helped his side to 307 as the Tasmanian's came in with ample time to begin their innings.
Caleb Jewell and Weatherald opened for the Tigers, but Weatherald fell early to bring in Charlie Wakim.
The new pair played beautifully until the close of the play, with Wakim in particular showing aggression and dealing in boundaries to see Tasmania through to stumps 1-94.
The pair picked right up where they left off on Day Two, both reaching half centuries with elegant batting, with the South Australians having no answer for either Jewell or Wakim.
In a fairytale moment, Wakim blasted a ball to the boundary before pinching a quick single to bring up his second Sheffield Shield hundred, no more than he deserved after a batting masterclass.
Wakim finally fell on 110 off just 144 balls, an innings that included 20 boundaries - with the Tigers poised brilliantly at 2-211.
Jewell fell agonisingly short of his own hundred, caught on the rope on 87, before Silk fell to bring in the new pair of Matthew Wade and Beau Webster.
The two continued where Wakim and Jewell had left off, adding runs quickly before Wade fell on 43 with the Tigers ticking the total over 300.
The middle order failed to fire for Tasmania with Brad Hope and Mitch Owen falling cheaply, before a handy 24 from Jarrod Freeman got things moving again, with Webster lasting until the end, continuing his brilliant run of form with a fine 62 to see the Tigers to 381.
The Tassie bowling attack came out red hot, and had South Australia reeling, with Lawrence Neil-Smith striking twice and Gabe Bell chiming in to leave the Redbacks all at sea again, 3-47 at the close of the day.
Apart from Nathan McSweeney, none of the Redbacks could offer any real resistance as the Tigers ripped through the South Australian lineup, with Bell and Neil-Smith striking again before Webster cleaned up, taking the last three wickets to finish with figures of 4-32, and South Australia all out for 157.
Needing just 84 to win, the Tigers were dealt an early blow when Jewell fell, before Weatherald, Wakim and Silk all chipped in to get Tasmania home at the close of Day Three, securing a fine first win of the campaign.
Wakim was awarded Player of the Match after his classy innings.
Full Scorecard can be found here.
