QUICK FIX FOR CANES

THE Hurricanes have put the brakes on their high-octane game plan for today’s historic Big Bash clash with the Sydney Thunder in Launceston.

Hobart has dropped express quick Aaron Summers for bowling all-rounder Tom Rogers. Summers, alongside imports Tymal Mills and Jofra Archer, all cranked the speed gun up to 145km/h in the opening game against the Renegades, but it didn’t stop the visitors cruising to victory.

With change of pace medium-fast bowlers Andrew Tye, Dwayne Bravo and Ben Laughlin the top three wicket-takers in BBL|07, coach Gary Kirsten has backed away from the all-out pace assault.

“For us our thinking around Aaron Summers was to use him as an impact bowler with his out-and-out pace and to use him in a specific situation that was required,” Kirsten said.

“Whereas Rogers will give us more options across the 20 overs and can bowl in a lot of different places.

“That will give George [Bailey, skipper] more comfort in terms of using him in different situations.

“He bowls with nice pace, he has a knack of getting wickets and we virtually picked him in the first game as well — it was virtually a 50-50 call. “He’s ready and good to go.” While the Hurricanes have sat idle for the past nine days since their opening game, the Thunder has played three matches, but only has the one win.

However, it does boast the league’s leading run-scorer in former national star Shane Watson.

Kirsten said plans were in place for the big hitting righthander.

“He’s a key player — you get the key player out and it makes a big difference,” Kirsten said.

“[English import] Jos Buttler is another one and we know what he can do.

“It is probably how the tournament has unfolded where certainly if you can keep the bigger players quiet it makes a big difference to the outcome of the game.

“We will certainly be doing our homework as best as we can in mapping a pathway out for us in terms of getting the result we want to.

“It doesn’t always go that way but we’ll plan accordingly.”

Today is the first BBL game to be played in Launceston, with Cricket Tasmania hopeful of a sellout crowd of about 18,000 fans.