Tigers back in the swing
TASMANIA’S Sheffield Shield players will embrace the challenge of difficult batting conditions at the Gabba as they strive to revive their flagging fortunes in the competition starting this Friday.
The Tigers head to Brisbane today for their clash against Queensland aware that recent wild weather will ensure a bowler-friendly pitch.
Brisbane has felt the full force of the storms which have hit the east coast of Australia, with more than 250mm of rain falling in the past six days and more expected for the remainder of the week.
However coach Jeff Vaughan has declared his batsmen won’t fear the likelihood of an extreme seaming and swinging Dukes ball in the first round since the end of the Big Bash.
“They’ve had some rain, they’ve had some issues from what we’ve heard, some issues with their preparation of the pitch as well,” Vaughan said.
“We’ll take a squad of 13 and we’ll be prepared for whatever sort of facilities that comes before us.
“That’s the beauty of playing in our conditions, we feel as though any of our young players who come into tough conditions will actually learn really good skills.
“It allows them to either travel around Australia and play in similar conditions or hopefully for those young players to travel the world and be really well equipped when they come up against tough conditions, wherever that might be and whatever level it may be.
“We embrace it and yes they may be tough conditions, but that’s good. All it is is building our resilience and making us bigger and better, stronger young cricketers.”
Test captain Tim Paine will return fresh from a break and will lead the side, with Matthew Wade headed to South Africa with the country’s white-ball squads.
The match will also officially be the first without George Bailey, with Vaughan not expecting the impact of the absence of the veteran to hit until they arrive in town.
“Because of his schedule and the way he sort of prepared himself, he was sometimes doing some different types of training anyway.
“I think it’ll be when we’re actually in Brisbane, when we arrive in Brisbane and Bails won’t be there.
“The offset I suppose of Bails missing and we all miss him, he is a pretty unique man Bails, but to have Painey back in the group and lead us will be excellent.”
The Tigers sit fifth on the shield ladder, 10 points adrift of the Bulls who are third. Tasmanian squad: Tim Paine (capt), Gabe Bell, Jackson Bird, Alex Doolan, Jake Doran, Ben McDermott, Simon Milenko, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Tom Rogers, Jordan Silk, Charlie Wakim, Beau Webster, MacAlister Wright.