Paine takes lead for Tasmania in Futures League opener

AUSTRALIAN Twenty20 gloveman Tim Paine will captain Tasmania’s opening Futures League match against Western Australia next week.

Paine, in India with the national T20 squad, will have a short turnaround before joining his Tigers teammates for the four-day match starting on Monday in Perth.

He will be joined by eight state contracted players, while former rookie and South Hobart-Sandy Bay premiership skipper Sean Willis has also been named in the squad, alongside Hobart Hurricanes northern rookie Jarrod Freeman.

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes have announced a further two signings for the WBBL season in Veronica Pyke and Katelyn Fryett.

After taking the second most wickets in WBBL|01 left-arm seamer Pyke did not have the same impact last season with five wickets in 14 matches, while Fryett managed one wicket in her seven appearances.

But the duo are eager to bounce back this summer and help take the squad one step further than the two consecutive semi-final appearances.

“We definitely want to take out the WBBL title,” Pyke said.

Fryett said she was also looking forward to donning purple again.

“We have a really great core group of girls who have been part of the Hurricanes squad for the last two seasons,” she said.