Why the Tigers made a mistake by batting first

A MONTH’S worth of rain in less than a week, the Sheffield Shield final wicket lying under the protection of the covers for extended periods and all of this taking place under the sweaty humidity of rainy Brisbane days. And we bat first? Heck, we’ve got the most damaging Dukes-wielding attack in the all the land, and perhaps even England, and we bat first?

Sure, we can all feel a sense of pride in the dramatic turnaround rolled out by Cricket Tasmania under the guidance of Cummins, Oarsome and Griffith.

But my goodness, we batted first — sigh. Insert sad face.

With rain forecast intermittently over the remaining four days — day one lost to sunshine and poor drainage — Tasmania had no choice but to take all 20 Queensland wickets in a hurry. No longer could this game be won over a five-day battle of attrition and momentum shifts.

If ever there was going to be movement through the air, or off the wicket, it was going to happen in the first session of day one. The ascendancy had to be owned by Tasmania from ball one, over one, session one to place the needed pressure on Queensland to engineer a batting collapse.

Tasmania battled well against the new ball, in perhaps the most trying batting conditions of the game, to be only three down at lunch and 6-360 at the completion of day one.

All out for 477 in 140 overs would have had Queensland well chuffed that Tasmania’s strategy blunder just removed a day and a half from the clock on what would become a lifeless and dull wicket, with more rain delays on the way.

Queensland then had the ease of facing the Dukes Kings in conditions that not even the most cunning ball-tamperingline-crossers in all the world could extract movement, pace or zip from.

And yet again, this reeks of Bailey. It’s a discussion, debate, argument well worn between the two of us as captain and player.

At the Gabba several years ago, 2009-10, we arrived to a green wicket with the sun providing 30C through the heavy and dark storm clouds that brewed overhead.

Should we win the toss, bowling first was the biggest no-brainer since Adam said to Eve: “You and me babe, how about it?”

But in George’s second game as captain, coming off four days of yelling at each other in Adelaide, his opening bowler was deemed to have known little about the strategy of the toss or predicting overhead conditions, humidity and how that impacts swing.

Of course, we won the toss, and of course, we batted first: 5-27 was inevitable, all out for 150 a surprise and an innings loss the result.

There was a theory explained, but to be honest, I wasn’t listening.

The conditions on morning one of this final — humid and overcast. And I reckon not bowling first was the one decision from the season the leadership committee will look back on and rue.

Because otherwise, it’s been a great turnaround and one that offers significant hope moving into next year.

Congratulations to Clarence on its success. And congratulations to the Tigers for their significant step forward in taking us forward.

The challenges are ever present, but we can have faith that Cummins and his crew will work tirelessly in their pursuit of national dominance.

And that’s all we ask.