GEEVES: TIGERS FIND WILD SIDE

WHERE were you the last time Tasmania won back to back Sheffield Shield matches?

Some clues for those playing at home:

Tiger Woods was the number one golfer in the world.

Tim Coyle was the coach of Tasmania.

Evan Gulbis added a golf ball marker to his most valued possessions; with the cursive inscription Ricky Ponting Medalist.

Tasmania’s most recent MKR contestant, and Australia’s pin up boy for truffle farmers, Henry Terry, was named Player of the Final as the Glenorchy Cricket Club won its first CTPL title in some 30+ years.

That’s right, March 2013 was that time.

It has been 56 months since Tasmania has held ANY red ball momentum by way of back to back victories.

And as we saw in the most recent instalment of Ashes cricket, momentum is everything.

So what has been the biggest change that has Tassie back in the room?

It would be easy to point in the direction of the new cchief executive, who is pulling good strings, but we see and hear plenty from him.

New coach Adam Griffith? Again, huge exposure as frontman.

How about the new batting coach? The unsung hero who gets no camera time or public voice.

That Jeff Vaughan is an ace, I know from experience. Well actually, I don’t, but this guy I know — State Captain George Bailey — told me that his impact on the batting group and the broader list has been profound.

It is those real-world experiences that we spoke about way back when Jeff was appointed.

This is not an elite level playing hero of Tasmanian cricket just in there to provide the good times. This is a man who has answered to a boss in the real world. Paid invoices, worked to deadlines and quite literally got his hands dirty as a landscaper.

The stats don’t lie with regard Vaughan’s impact on the batting group this year.

Alex Doolan, Jordan Silk and George Bailey are the three players whose statistical regression made them poster children of the failings under the previous coaching team.

And largely, it is that re- gression that prompted widespread change throughout the entire organisation; except of course, the board.

But perhaps the answer for Tasmania’s batting woes was available for everyone across the last 56 months.

Doolan’s move from first drop to join Silk as opener has worked better than hoped; with the partnership producing numbers not seen at the top, since, well, perhaps 56 months ago.

The vacant first drop position saw Captain Bailey move himself up to that spot, which left the number four spot vacant for the first time since I can remember.

This opportunity meant that the development of Doran no longer had to be toughed out at the top of the order.

The current top three are doing a great job in protecting the middle order to allow for an easier batting environment.

Change is never easy to enact, but the willingness of Doolan and Bailey to sacrifice has meant an easier ride for some of the younger talent.

You also feel that Silk is standing a little taller knowing the stability and experience in his opening partner which, in comparison to the previous seasons, has been a rotating door of inexperience and trial.

The only shame in this is that the BBL is here to put a screeching halt on the momentum that the Tigers had earned. They won’t get a crack at three wins in a row until February.

Just another reason to wish the BBL would sod off so we could talk more about that Jeff Vaughan.