New coach has skill set to help turn Tasmania into a competitive WNCL outfit

VETERAN Tasmanian cricketer Corinne Hall is confident new women’s coach Salliann Briggs can unlock some of the untapped potential in the state’s female system.

New coach of the Tasmanian women’s cricket program Salliann Briggs. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

VETERAN Tasmanian cricketer Corinne Hall is confident new women’s coach Salliann Briggs can unlock some of the untapped potential in the state’s female system, aware it is time to repay the faith from the Cricket Tasmania.

English export Briggs, who officially started in the role today after arriving back in Hobart, has spent time as England women’s academy head coach, her country’s under-19 coach and in the Kia Super League.

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Hall believes her experience in guiding underage talent into senior ranks will be pivotal to a squad containing the likes of exciting youngsters Courtney Webb, Erin Fazackerley and Emma Manix-Geeves.

Corinne Hall says the players want to repay the investment Cricket Tasmania has put into the women’s program.

“As soon as it was publicly announced I received messages from all over the world … people spoke very highly,” Hall said of the appointment of Briggs in March.

“Her skill set in transitioning players from the England academy to the England team is going to be handy for us.

“We have a lot of raw talent in our team that maybe hasn’t reached its potential yet, Sal will do a good job at extracting that from the girls.”

With the new era in female cricket in Tasmania beginning — the side will officially be known as the Tigers from this summer and all squad members will be based in Hobart — Hall declared it was time to become a consistent WNCL competitor.

The side has won just four of its 48 WNCL 50-over matches since entering the competition in 2010-11.

“The fact the girls are willing to move, they have pretty much changed their lifestyle to commit to this program,” Hall said.

“We understand Cricket Tas has put a lot of investment in us and putting a lot more resources into our program and we want to repay that.

“It is a real positive thing for us and something we are going to work hard to make sure the public know we feel worthy of and represent the brand as we should.”