Tassie crack SA for first Shield victory

Tasmania have won their first match of the Sheffield Shield season with a 142-run victory over last season's finalists South Australia.

Tigers players celebrate Jackson Bird's dismissal of Redbacks batsman Tom Cooper. (AAP)

A defiant innings from South Australia's Callum Ferguson could not deny Sheffield Shield strugglers Tasmania a 142-run win at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

Starting the final day at 5-124 and still trailing by 261, SA were unlikely to hold off Tasmania from earning the first win of the season after three winless rounds.

The task got even harder with Tom Cooper dismissed in the first over without adding to his overnight score of four.

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey briefly rallied the Redbacks by adding 62 with Ferguson before the former was dismissed for 24.

Test aspirant Jackson Bird was among the wickets with figures of 3-51, following on from a first-innings return of 5-30.

Helping mop up the tail was fellow paceman Sam Rainbird who returned figures of 3-56.

After being dismissed for 141 in their first innings, South Australia were all out for 243 in their second innings.