Fekete goes, Doran stays

THE Tigers have lost one of their strike weapons, but a future star appears committed to Tasmania long term.

Fast bowler Andrew Fekete, a previous Ricky Ponting medallist and Australia A representative, has announced he will be returning to his native Victoria next season for family reasons, a blow after a dominant back end of the season for the big quick.

While Fekete announced his departure, rising star Jake Doran, who won the David Boon Medal as the Tigers’ best Sheffield Shield player for 2017-18, said his future would be in a Tigers’ uniform.

The 21-year-old, who has a year to run on his contract, had a breakout season in his third year at the Tigers, scoring a team high 756 runs at 44.5

“Definitely, I love it here,” Doran said.

“Tasmania gave me a great opportunity to come down when I was young. I was 18 at the time and wasn’t proven so for me to be able to back that up this year and make next year even better would be a massive thing for me to prove and be thankful for Tasmanian cricket for giving me that opportunity.”

Fekete took 113 wickets in 33 first-class games, rising to selection for the Test team for the 2015 tour of Bangladesh, only for it to be cancelled because of security concerns.

He said he had not spoken to Cricket Victoria but would do so in the near future.

“A tough decision, obviously six years at Tasmania and playing cricket down here, it wasn’t an easy decision especially after we made the final and the success in the back of the season,” Fekete said.

“But I’m 33 in May and unfortunately I’m at a time in my life where cricket is not the No.1 priority any more and being a Melbourne boy, my family, friends and fiancee are back in Melbourne.

“A tough decision to move back but I feel like it is the right time.”