Tim Paine to mentor regional players in Great Barrier Reef Rays‘ debut season
Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine has announced a shock return as captain of a premier league cricket team. Find out where.
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Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine has found a new home in the Brisbane Premier League just two months after announcing his retirement from first class cricket.
Paine will captain the brand new Great Barrier Reef Rays team, based in Mackay, in the three-day competition starting in August this year.
Paine, who retired from first-class cricket in March, will lead a side stacked with local Whitsunday talent to compete in the competition beginning in August.
Paine had previously expressed his desire to remain in Tasmania after his retirement from first-class cricket.
“I haven’t got anything locked in yet and I’m probably going to have the next three or four months off,” Paine said upon his retirement.
“But I’ve had some small discussions with Cricket Tasmania, and I’ve had some discussions with some other people and some other industries as well.
“It’s an emotional time when you move on from something that you love doing and care deeply about, but I’ll still be involved in the game of cricket,”
For now though Paine has found a new cricketing home in Queensland.
The Great Barrier Reef Rays have joined the Brisbane Premier League with the aim of providing more opportunities and access to development for regional players from Central and North Queensland.
Paine‘s appearance in the Rays’ team provides a significant opportunity for regional players to learn and develop their skills under the guidance of a former Test star.
Paine’s experience in over 70 Test matches and ODIs makes him a valuable asset to the team. Additionally, Melbourne Stars and first-class batter Nick Larkin will be joining the Rays as an interstate player.
The Brisbane Premier League provides players with the chance to showcase their abilities and potentially play alongside some of the best players in the country.
Paine is still expected to play Cricket Tasmania Premier League for University over the summer and is having ongoing discussions with Cricket Tasmania about a non-playing role.
Paine’s close friend and Uni clubmate Ben Harrison said Paine would still make a huge footprint on Tasmanian cricket.
“In my strong connection to Tim, he will certainly have an involvement in Uni and he wants to develop his coaching as well,” Harrison said.
“There are still numerous opportunities for Tim in Tasmania and Uni will be a big part of that.
“Cricket Tasmania, given their development coaching stocks, will be wanting to really have a good hard look at him.
“It’s no surprise that he’s doing some stuff, as a lot of people at his age and stage of their cricket careers, are doing.”
Paine made his Test debut against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010, where he was capped alongside Steve Smith, and was part of Tasmania’s first Sheffield Shield title in 2006-07.
The Rays’ full team list as as follows:
1. Tim Paine (Interstate) – Captain
2. Nick Larkin (Interstate)
3. Angus Lovell
4. Blake Maher
5. Sam Lowry
6. Liam Smith
7. Mitch Doolan
8. Noah McFadyen
9. Raveesh Srivastava
10. Lane Kohler
11. Sam Yabsly
12. Lachlan Holmes
13. Reece Neyland
14. Isaac Borg
Originally published as Tim Paine to mentor regional players in Great Barrier Reef Rays‘ debut season
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