Tasmania to be at full strength for crunch one day showdown with NSW as Australian stars return
For the first time this season Tasmania will have a full list to choose from for its top of the table Marsh Cup showdown with a star-studded NSW bringing its own firepower to town.
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TASMANIAN selectors face a welcome headache for Thursday’s top of the table Marsh Cup clash against NSW with a pair of international representatives set to make their return.
On the back of consecutive victories against Victoria and South Australia in Melbourne last week — the latter a nine wicket thumping which netted a double bonus point — the Tigers joined the Blues on 10 points.
The side will be eager to keep the momentum rolling in its final fixtures at Blundstone Arena this summer and will be bolstered by the addition of skipper Matthew Wade and Ben McDermott.
Wade missed last week to spend some time back in Hobart with his family after a hectic schedule while McDermott has recovered from a minor hamstring strain suffered on Australia’s T20 tour of New Zealand.
With both automatic inclusions into the best XI, coach Jeff Vaughan has some tough decisions on who to leave out of a team finding some form.
“It is a good problem to be in, certainly having lots of depth in the squad and players in form and winning games,” Vaughan said.
“It’s going to be a tough selection but a situation we want to be in as a team.
“We have two really big games coming up against NSW and then our last match against WA, who are both in the mix as well.
“With a full squad to pick from, all our players back, no injuries, we are in a good position to roll out a couple of good games.”
While the Tigers will field their strongest possible outfit, the visitors have opted to not follow suit with their plethora of international stars.
Pat Cummins, David Warner, Nathan Lyon, Sean Abbott and Moises Henriques and Kurtis Patterson are all in the 13-player squad, but Josh Hazlewood has been rested — despite the Blues’ match last Sunday against Western Australia being washed out.
Steve Smith also remains sidelined with injury while Mitch Starc has only been named in the Sheffield Shield squad contest which starts Saturday.
“They are pretty star studded, they have a good list of players but across the two games they have a couple of players missing as well,” Vaughan said.
“They are going to be a strong, formidable team whoever they roll out there.”
ONE DAY SQUADS
TASMANIA: Matthew Wade (c), Tom Andrews, Jackson Bird, Jake Doran, Nathan Ellis, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Tim Paine, Sam Rainbird, Peter Siddle, Jordan Silk, Beau Webster, Mac Wright
NSW: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Harry Conway, Oliver Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Liam Hatcher, Daniel Hughes, Matthew Gilkes, Moises Henriques, Nick Larkin, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, David Warner
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