Selection squeeze set to cause Tasmania Tigers headaches ahead of Sheffield Shield final

Tasmania could be set for a few tough conversations ahead of the Sheffield Shield final with a number of players putting their hand up for a return.

Tasmanian Tigers coach Jeff Vaughan is yet to finalise the starting 11 for Thursday’s Sheffield Shield final against Western Australia with as many as four players a chance to potentially return.

The Tigers will head into the five-day clash with almost a full squad to pick from.

All-rounder Mitch Owen (injury), Riley Meredith (managed), Billy Stanlake (managed) and Tim Ward are all believed to be in the frame for selection after missing the loss to South Australia last week.

Iain Carlisle and Charlie Wakim ahead of the Sheffield Shield final against Western Australia in Perth. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Meredith was rested for the match against the Redbacks and looks the most likely to return to partner with fellow quicks Iain Carlisle (pictured) and Gabe Bell, while Owen could also return to provide Tasmania another reliable batting option alongside the in-form Charlie Wakim (pictured).

Stanlake and Ward appear less likely to force their way back with Stanlake heavily managed throughout the season following his long run with injury and Ward coming out of the line-up for veteran Matthew Wade after a tough patch of form.

Ahead of flying out to Perth on Tuesday, Vaughan said the selection headaches were well and truly a cause of conversation for the coaching staff this week.

“It feels like we’ve had the conversations the last three months around who are we going to leave out versus who are we going to put in the team,” he said.

“We feel very lucky in that regard with the depth that we’ve got both with pace bowling, all-rounder and batting depth. We won’t decide (the final team) until we get there and have a look at the facilities on Wednesday.

“We will train at the WACA Wednesday afternoon and a decision likely won’t be made until the morning of the match.

Tasmanian Tigers coach Jeff Vaughan will be required to make some tough selection calls during the week. (Photo by Simon Sturzaker/Getty Images)

“It’s a great position to be in, to have so many players in good form. We went heavy all-rounder earlier in the season and then we have gone with the three pace model, so we will weigh up both of those and see what the opposition and the facilities provide.”

Tasmanian skipper Jordan Silk added that while it would be tough on those that missed the final side, it was a situation they had been in all season given the depth of the squad.

“The conversations are probably more heightened at the time of the season when there is a final to be played but to be honest, the conversations have been hard from round one,” Silk said.

“We had some really tough calls early in the season with our team and guys that we’d left out so I don’t think that just because it’s a bigger week that those conversations are harder it’s just part and parcel of where we are as a group.

“I think the beauty of what we’ve been able to do this year is that we haven’t solely relied on just the same 11 to get us through. It’s been a real squad mentality to get us through to this stage and guys have been chipping in really well.

“That’s the beauty of what we are doing down here. We haven’t just been reliant on 11 guys, we’ve had rely on 16-18 players and that’s obviously going to make the conversations harder when you are trying to narrow it down to 11 for a final.”

The Sheffield Shield final runs from Thursday March 21 to Monday March 25.