Bird back, but Tigers flop
TASMANIAN and Australian fast bowler Jackson Bird had not played a competitive game of cricket since February. But he was back yesterday celebrating one of his two wickets with teammates after having centurymaker Nic Maddinson well caught by Alex Doolan (right). It was a rare bright moment for the Tigers as they began their JLT Cup One-Day tournament campaign with a 102-run loss to New South Wales.
TASMANIA’S JLT Cup OneDay cricket campaign began poorly yesterday, thrashed by reigning champion New South Wales at the WACA Ground in Perth.
NSW returned to form in style with a crushing 102-run win, built around a quickfire century from Nic Maddinson.
Tasmania’s pursuit of NSW’s hefty 6-316 was all but over at 5-117, with the Tigers eventually dismissed for 214 off 39.2 overs at the WACA.
Rookie Mickey Edwards (4-31), paceman Sean Abbott (3-29) and off-spinner Nathan Lyon (3-58) shared the bowling honours for NSW.
Only some rearguard action from middle-order pair Jordan Silk (55) and Simon Milenko (30) gave the Tasmanian total some respectability.
The Blues, who slipped to a narrow defeat against Western Australia in their season opener on Friday, were always in control of the contest thanks to a career-best 137 from Maddinson.
NSW put on 136 for the opening wicket at nearly seven an over, with Daniel Hughes contributing 56.
Maddinson’s innings, which included 23 fours, was the fourth best by a Blues batsman in the competition and surpassed the left-handed opener’s previous best of 118.
Former Test batsman Ed Cowan (51 off 32 balls) played a late cameo to keep the scoreboard ticking along as the Blues ended on 6-316.
Jackson Bird was the pick of the Tasmanian bowlers, taking two wickets on his return to action having not played a com- petitive game since February. It was Tasmania’s first match of the domestic season, while NSW began its season with a nine-run defeat against Western Australia on Friday.