Test captain leads the way at state training without official start day to domestic season locked in
Tasmania’s cricketers are well into pre-season training, but an official start date on the domestic season is still yet to be announced. Tim Paine said the onus is on the leaders to keep motivation levels high
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TASMANIA’S leaders have been entrusted to help the squad’s younger players through a pre-season like no other amid the ongoing uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tigers have been back in pre-season training for a month, but remain without a timetable of when the domestic season officially begins.
While Cricket Australia powerbrokers continue to fill in some pieces of an ever changing puzzle, starting with the ODI and T20 tour of England next month, even the international summer schedule remains unknown with the one-off Test against Afghanistan in doubt.
Test captain Tim Paine said the responsibility to keep the state squad motivated and on track has fallen on the shoulders of himself and national teammate Matthew Wade, as well pace spearhead and experienced recruit Peter Siddle, who is out of quarantine and into training.
“For the experienced guys it is OK, you are used to, particularly as an international cricketer, being in and out of competition and knowing when to build up to certain dates,” Paine said.
“For young guys it can be a challenge but we are really lucky at the moment that all our experienced players are here.
“Myself, Matthew Wade, Jackson Bird, Peter Siddle, in Tasmania now we have some guys who are here to help our younger players through these uncertain times I guess.
“It’s been on us senior players to help the rest of our group through these times.
“It is starting to become a little bit clearer, there is some cricket on the horizon for our one day team but also down the track our domestic players and then a huge Test summer.”
Paine, who has partnered with former Australian white ball and Tasmanian skipper George Bailey and AFL great Nick Riewoldt in securing the Tasmanian rights to new fitness franchise Body Fit Training, was also full of praise for a flexible Tigers program.
Cricket Tasmania recently announced a restructure of its coaching ranks which moved Adam Griffith into a director position and Jeff Vaughan assume head coaching duties.
“Our program here under Adam Griffith and Jeff Vaughan has been really flexible, they have been fantastic,” Paine said.
“We have been having weeks off every now and again, keeping fresh mentally but making sure physically we are ready to go.”
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