Tasmanian Tigers spinner Molly Strano on chances of playing WNCL final

One of the Tasmanian Tigers most important players has opened up on her chances of returning from injury for Saturday’s WNCL final.

Injured Tasmanian Tigers spinner Molly Strano says she will do everything possible to return for Saturday’s WNCL final but won’t suit-up if it means taking the spot of a fully fit teammate.

Tasmania will be gunning for a third straight WNCL premiership when they host Queensland at Blundstone Arena on Saturday but Strano’s availability for the contest is still a day-to-day proposition.

Molly Strano hasn’t played for Tasmania since February 1 after going down with injury against Western Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

The 31 year-old suffered a broken hand back on February 1 against Western Australia and missed the last three games of the season as a result.

While the Victorian admits it’s still up in the air if she returns on Saturday, Strano said she would give herself every opportunity this week to be available.

“I’ve got a fractured metacarpal so it’s a case of seeing how I go this week,” Strano told The Mercury.

“It’s a little bit problematic that it’s my bowling hand so I’m a day-to-day proposition at the moment.

“I’m a bit eager to play so I will definitely put my hand up but I also don’t want to do that if I’m not fully fit or it will jeopardise the balance of the team, or it means a fully fit player coming out and I’m not good to go.

“I’m just starting to get back into bowling and seeing how I pull up after every session so I’ll probably be a late call (if I play), but I’ll leave that decision up to the coaching and medical staff.”

Missing cricket is somewhat of an unfamiliar territory for Strano who has had a relatively clean bill of health following a stress fracture in her back almost a decade ago.

“I hadn’t missed a game of first class cricket in 10 years,” she said.

Strano will be a major loss for Tasmania if she doesn’t play but the Tigers have won two out of their last three games in her absence. (Photo by Simon Sturzaker/Getty Images)

“I’ve had a really good run so it’s quite a foreign feeling for me, but it makes me really respect and empathise with those players that have long-term injuries and miss along time with injury.”

With the Tigers heading into a third-straight WNCL grand final at home – and as favourites – Strano said they would continue to embrace expectation in the lead up to Saturday.

“We quite enjoy having that pressure put on us and knowing that we are the hunted with teams coming after us,” she said.

“That really drives us to keep improving as individuals and a team to try and stay in front of the pack. We’ve dropped a few games this year, which is proof teams are getting closer and the competition is only improving.

“We enjoy that challenge and there is a bit of pressure on us on Saturday given we finished on top and are hosting the final; but that pressure is also a privilege because a lot of people would love to be in our position and we are really going to embrace it.”

First ball on Saturday is at 2.05pm.