TIGERS ON BACK FOOT

String of away games to start Tassie’s Shield bid

THE Tigers’ red-ball redemption faces a baptism of fire with five of the first six Sheffield Shield matches on the road.

The Sheffield Shield and domestic one-day cup, to be known as the JLT One-Day Cup, released by Cricket Australia, did not do the new-look Tigers any favours, with Tasmania to spend more time on the road than a travelling circus.

Despite looking to build early positivity around the group after consecutive Shield wooden spoons, new coach Adam Griffith was looking at the upside of the tough fixture.

“It is [challenging], but I actually look at it a bit differently,” he said.

“I know it is a bit of a cliche, but for us with this group and what we are trying to drive it is a really good opportunity to galvanise them together.

“What it actually does is if you can play some really good cricket away from home and get your nose in front, as far as wins and losses are concerned, you can really storm home with some momentum in the back end.

“I’m actually not too concerned about it and the players are really excited about having that extended period away but then having an extended period at home. From our point of view, if you approach it the right way it can be a positive.”

As revealed by the Mercury last week, the Tigers will play a one-day game in Hobart for the first time since February 2013 when they host Queensland at Blundstone Arena on October 17.

The elimination final and the grand final will also be played in Hobart.

Griffith said this was even more incentive for his squad.

“It is great for us here at CT, it is great for the members, it is great for the supporters here to come out and watch us play and the exciting thing is if we are playing some good cricket and we make a final, who knows how many we can get along to a final at Blundstone Arena?” he said.

“We are really excited about that. “The ambition is always to play finals, but home finals are pretty special and I was pretty lucky to play in a couple here.”

The Tigers will head to Mooloolaba next week for a pre-season tour and games ahead of the opening of the season, a 50-over match against NSW at the WACA in Perth on October 2.