D'Arcy Short has helped Western Australia to a solid first innings score with a patient half century on day one of the the Sheffield Shield final against Tasmania at the WACA Tuesday.

The 33-year-old rose his bat at 50 without further adding to his score after edging out Teague Wyllie to replace Cameron Bancroft in the XI as Western Australia chase a third-consecutive title.

It's just his second Shield game for the season, and first time being picked to open the batting for his state in more than four years.

Short partnered fellow opener Sam Whiteman (104 from 154) for valuable early runs in a 110-run opening stand before mild middle order wobbles as Tasmania's attack got some reward following a poor start with the ball.

WA went to the dressing rooms 8/325 overnight.

In irregular fashion for the T20 star, who hit 49 in his last and only red-ball appearance in WA's campaign earlier this month, Short was patient to work his way into the innings opening his account with a casual straight drive for four after eight deliveries before repeating the effort for an almost identical boundary 22 balls later.

He survived two chances edging through gaps in the slip cordon before reaching 30 as the hosts began rotating the strike.

Short brought up his half-century by edging wide of gully before being sent on his way shortly after lunch, caught behind from the bowling of Gabe Bell (1-48).

Whiteman went on to claim his second Shield Final century, with no.4 Hilton Cartwright (55) and young-gun Cooper Connolly (73) making healthy contributions further down the order before stumps.

The Tigers will hope to get to the crease early on Friday, with Short a spin option in WA's attack.

Tassie off-spinner Jarrod Freeman (3-103) was able to get some turn out of the WACA pitch on day 1.