Inaugural skipper delisted from Tigers as Cricket Tasmania cuts Veronica Pyke without any fanfare

The inaugural captain of Tasmania’s women’s side has been left off the Tigers contract list for the upcoming season.

Veronica Pyke celebrates a wicket for the Hurricanes. Picture: Getty

THE inaugural captain of Tasmania’s women’s side Veronica Pyke has been left off the Tigers contract list for the upcoming season.

Since Tasmania entered the Women’s National Cricket League in 2009, Pyke has been a regular for the Tigers but the 38-year-old’s career looks to have finished.

She was runner-up as the Tigers’ WNCL player of the year last season.

Pyke is hoping to continue to play but admitted the timing of her finding out about the decision hasn’t left her with many options.

“I’m leaving my options open, I’m not ready to pull the pin,” Pyke said.

“I’m keeping myself in top condition and keeping my skills sharp.

“I wasn’t told of the decision until the last minute, which left me on the back foot in regards to talking with other states.”

Veronica Pyke has given more than a decade’s service to the Tasmanian women’s cricket program. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Pyke acknowledges that the writing was on the wall given her age but said she is frustrated by the timing of when she found out.

“I haven’t put a great deal of thought into other states, I intended to play out my career with Tasmania,” Pyke said.

“I’m proud of the contribution I’ve made to the team.

“They have come along leaps and bounds compared to when I first started with them.”

Pyke’s omission from the Tigers squad was revealed in a press release on Monday, where the veteran’s delisting was given a single line despite more than a decade of dedication to the game and to Tasmanian women’s cricket.

She said she was unsure at this stage of her future with the Hurricanes having played every season in purple since the WBBL began.

Last year’s WNCL player of the tournament Georgia Redmayne, Celeste Raack and Ashley Day will also not feature on Tasmania’s list this season, with all three women moving away from the state.

Veronica Pyke, centre, has played every WBBL season with the Hurricanes. Picture: Getty

Tigers coach Salliann Briggs said it was time for Tasmania to start looking to get more games into younger players.

“She [Pyke] is the longest-serving player and she is a part of the reason Tassie has achieved as much as they have,” Briggs said.

“But she is older now and we need to look at younger players.

“We have lost some really good people actually, as well as good players.

“I care about those people and I hope they will go onto better things and I’m sure they will.

“It’s my job is to create long-term success and I’m pretty confident we have the right players to deliver that.”