Tigers set to unleash three debutants for WNCL opener against ACT next Wednesday
Tasmania has named its 14-strong squad for the WNCL opener, with three off season recruits set for their debuts and the side’s spearhead recovered from injury which ended WBBL campaign
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TASMANIAN spearhead Belinda Vakarewa has recovered from a knee complaint which ended her WBBL campaign but will have to manage the injury for the rest of her career.
The Tigers have named their squad for their opening match of the WNCL tournament next Wednesday against the ACT, with Vakarewa’s presence a huge boost to the bowling stocks.
The recently turned 23-year-old missed the Hurricanes’ final Big Bash match after limping from the field during a 10-wicket mauling from Perth in November.
And while the extended break between the T20 and 50-over competitions — further lengthened by two schedule changes — has given Hobart’s 2019-20 MVP adequate time to regain fitness, coach Salliann Beams (nee Briggs) said Vakarewa’s knee is unlikely to ever be 100 per cent.
“Unfortunately, it’ll be a constant problem for her, her knees. It’s hereditary a little bit and the makeup of her physiology, and she knows that,” Beams said.
“The workload of the WBBL just took its toll a bit but it’s manageable now and she’ll be ready for Wednesday.”
Among the 14-strong squad is three likely debutants, with off-season signings Rachel Priest, Heather Graham and Naomi Stalenberg all set to finally pull on Tigers colours for the first time.
Former New Zealand international Priest has been named Sasha Moloney’s vice-captain, while youngster Emma Manix-Geeves, who lost her contract from last season, earning a spot on the back of strong CTPL form, which Beams said has now become more relevant following the restructure of the first grade competition.
“What’s nice is that selection from club cricket is based off really competitive cricket, we’ve had conundrums in the past where players have scored big runs, but potentially might have got dropped frequently, just because of the standard.
“If you have conversations with the girls, they know that when they turn up to club cricket it’s not going to be a one sided game, they have to be at their best when they’re going out in the middle.
“It’s competitive, it’s testing them, it’s making them more accountable and they have to own their preparation.
“So she [Manix-Geeves] has earned that spot, and what we needed is that batting backup. We think we’ve got the adequate bowlers if we lost a bowler, so we just need to make sure that we have that spare batter if anything happens.”
TIGERS SQUAD: Sasha Moloney (c), Rachel Priest (vc), Samantha Bates, Nicola Carey, Heather Graham, Corinne Hall, Brooke Hepburn, Emma Manix-Geeves, Meg Phillips, Amy Smith, Emily Smith, Naomi Stalenberg, Emma Thompson, Belinda Vakarewa
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