Hurricanes taking foot off the brake
THE Hurricanes have put the brakes on their high octane game plan for today’s historic 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 Archers, all cranked the speed gun up to 145km/h in the opening game against the Melbourne 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 wickettakes in BBL07, 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, whereas Rogers will give us more options across the 20 overs and can bowl in a lot of different places,” Kirsten said.
“That will give George 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 dormant for the past nine days since their opening game, the Thunder have played three matches, but only have the one win.
However, they do 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.”
Today is the first BBL game to be played in Launceston, with Cricket Tasmania hopeful of a sell out crowd of 18,000.