Heartbreak for Tasmania Tigers in Marsh Cup defeat
A substandard fielding display has all but consigned Tasmania to another domestic season with no silverware. LATEST >>
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TASMANIA is all but consigned to another domestic season with no silverware after costing itself a Marsh Cup victory with a horrific fielding display against a star-studded NSW.
The Tigers spilt half a dozen catches and gave away numerous runs with sloppy ground fielding in a three-wicket defeat at Blundstone Arena, with David Warner’s fifth domestic century guiding the Blues home despite a late wobble.
The result leaves the Tigers four points adrift of the Blues, with Queensland a point behind but still armed with three matches in hand.
Compounding the defeat was Ben McDermott aggravating a hamstring injury on his return to action after he picked up a strain while on Australia’s T20 tour of New Zealand, while Nathan Ellis managed just three overs before pulling up sore and being sent for tests.
McDermott (68 from 70 balls) did not field after combining with Caleb Jewell (70 off 51) for an electric 138-run opening stand, with the pair rattling on at more than seven runs an over.
However Jewell’s departure triggered a collapse of 6-40 in 81 balls as the Blues turned the screws.
Only some late hitting from Ellis (31) and Jackson Bird (28) lifted the Tigers to 9-258, with Ben Dwarshuis picking up career best figures of 4-50.
Warner’s composed 108 was the backbone for the visitors as they overhauled their target with seven balls spare, despite losing 3-6 late in the chase which made the win tighter than it should have been.
The Australian opener did have his share of luck along the way.
Warner survived a confident LBW shout early in his innings, was given not out on 66 when replays showed he had gloved a pull shot down the leg side to Tim Paine from Peter Siddle while he was the beneficiary of two lives.
Tasmania’s fielding woes started in the sixth over when Matthew Gilkes was put down twice in five balls off the luckless Riley Meredith.
“I think from the position we were in we were pretty disappointed with the bat, but we clawed our way to a score but Davey batted really well but we gave him a couple of chances as well,” Jewell said.
“It definitely wasn’t our best fielding performance, we were probably a little bit flat coming out after the batting, but there is no excuse for that and they made the most of it.”
The two sides will meet in a Sheffield Shield match in Hobart starting Saturday, but Warner won’t be part of the fixture.
He is being rested after a summer punctuated by a serious groin injury.
Blues captain Pat Cummins will also miss but Mitch Starc has been named in the squad.
“It has been good to have time out in the middle, I’m extremely sore and the back’s gone on me,” Warner said of his match winning knock.
“But that’s part and parcel of the game, time on legs. I think in Adelaide it hurt me a lot to be out there the entire one day game and then field four days.
“With the injury I do have obviously the hip flexors are taking over and that getting fatigued and now my back is sort, all those muscles around that area are trying to compensate for that injury.”
The two sides will meet in a Sheffield Shield match in Hobart starting Saturday.
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