Tasmanian Tigers

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For the article about the animal Tasmanian Tiger, see Thylacine.
Tasmania
Image:Tasmania Tigers.gif
One-day Name: Tasmanian Tigers
Coach: Flag of Australia Tim Coyle
Captain: Flag of Australia Daniel Marsh
Founded: 1851
Home Ground: Bellerive Oval
Capacity: 16,000
First-class debut: Victoria
in 1851
at Launceston
Pura Cup wins: 1
Ford Ranger Cup wins: 3
KFC Twenty20 Big Bash wins: 0
Official Website: Tasmanian Tigers

The Tasmanian Tigers are the official first-class cricket team of Tasmania, Australia. They play in domestic one-day, 4-day and Twenty20 competitions. Their home ground is Bellerive Oval on Hobart's Eastern Shore, though matches are occasionally played at venues in Devonport and Launceston.

They have won the domestic one day competition (currently named the Ford Ranger Cup) three times, in 1978-79, 2004-05 and 2007-08. They have also been runners-up twice, in 1977-78 and 1986-87.

The Tigers won their first Sheffield Shield (Pura Cup) in the 2006-07 season, after almost 30 years in the competition. They had been runner-up three times, in 1993-94, 1997-98, and 2001-02.

The Tigers also compete in the domestic Twenty20 competition known as the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, and were runners-up in 2006-07.

Contents

[edit] Current Squad - 2007/08

Number Name Nickname Stats Bat/Bowl Notes
DoB Country Born
2 Dane Anderson Angry October 19, 1984 Australia Launceston, Tasmania LHB
10 George Bailey Hector, Geronimo September 7, 1982 Australia Launceston, Tasmania RHB RHS Deputy Vice Captain
N/A Josh Bean February 6, 1978 Australia Hobart, Tasmania RHB RLS Supplementary Contract
81 Travis Birt Ernie December 9, 1981 Australia Sale, Victoria LHB LAS
18 Luke Butterworth Butts October 28, 1983 Australia Hobart, Tasmania LHB RM
7 Sean Clingeleffer Clinger, Cliffy May 9, 1980 Australia Hobart, Tasmania LHB WKT
20 David Dawson Smokey March 7, 1982 Australia Canberra, ACT RHB WKT
3 Michael Dighton Dights April 24, 1976 Australia Toowoomba, Queensland RHB WKT
5 Michael Di Venuto Diva December 12, 1973 Australia Hobart, Tasmania LHB LAS Australian ODI representitive
24 Xavier Doherty X November 22, 1982 Australia Scottsdale, Tasmania LHB SLA
15 Alex Doolan Dools November 29, 1985 Australia Launceston, Tasmania RHB RM Rookie Contract
21 Brendan Drew Drewy December 16, 1983 Australia Lismore, New South Wales RHB RFM
19 Chris Duval Bear August 3, 1983 Australia Elizabeth Vale, South Australia RHB RFM
25 James Faulkner Jimbo April 29, 1990 Australia Launceston, Tasmania RHB LFM Rookie Contract
63 Brett Geeves Banger June 13, 1982 Australia Claremont, Tasmania RHB RFM
22 Adam Griffith Griffo 11 February 1978 Australia Launceston, Tasmania RHB RFM
16 Ben Hilfenhaus Hilfy 15 March 1983 Australia Ulverstone, Tasmania RHB RFM Australian ODI representitive
1 Jason Krejza Crazy January 14, 1983 Australia Sydney, New South Wales RHB ROB
33 Rhett Lockyear Lockdog February 28, 1983 Australia Mudgee, New South Wales RHB RM Supplementary Contract
12 Tim MacDonald September 7, 1980 Australia Subiaco, Western Australia RHB RFM
4 Daniel Marsh SOB June 14, 1973 Australia Subiaco, Western Australia RHB SLO Vice Captain, nickname acronym of "Son of Bacchus"
8 Tim Paine Julio, Kid December 8, 1984 Australia Hobart, Tasmania RHB WKT
14 Ricky Ponting Punter 19 December 1974 Australia Launceston, Tasmania RHB RM Captain, Australian Test and ODI representitive
32 Jason Shelton Shelts April 20, 1985 Australia Launceston, Tasmania RHB RLS Rookie Contract
13 Jeremy Smith Jerrald October 23, 1988 Australia Launceston, Tasmania RHB RF Rookie Contract
N/A Nathan Wegman June 4, 1977 Australia Launceston, Tasmania RHB RFM Supplementary Contract
9 Jonathon Wells PUG August 13, 1988 Australia Hobart, Tasmania RHB RHS Rookie Contract
6 Damien Wright Moves July 25, 1975 Australia Casino, New South Wales RHB RFM

[edit] History

Cricket almost certainly has been played in Tasmania since the time of European settlement in 1803. However the first, first class cricket match played in Tasmania, which was also the first ever first class cricket match in Australia, was played in 1851 between Victoria and Tasmania in Launceston. It was a timeless match, but only lasted for two days. Tasmania emerged victorious by 3 wickets.

Since that time, Tasmanian representative sides normally had to content themselves with matches against touring International sides during stop-overs whilst travelling by ship to mainland capitals, and the odd first class game against mainland state sides, usually one per season. The quality of cricket in Tasmania varied from time to time, but particularly in the post war period enjoyed a high period. This prompted moves to be made by the Tasmanian Cricket Association for further matches and recognition. A Famous victory against the Indian tourists in 1977 helped the TCA convince mainland cricket authorities Tasmanian cricket was of a nationally competitive level.

The Tasmanian Cricket Association first made a bid to join the Sheffield Shield in 1964, but was rejected. Despite this, Tasmania was granted full status into the domestic one day competition upon its establishment in 1969. The Tasmanian team was finally admitted to the Sheffield Shield by the Australian Cricket Board in 1977 on a two year trial basis, although they played a reduced roster in comparisons to the other states. Tasmanias points on the ladder were x5 and /9 due to the fact they only played each other state once (instead of twice) during the season.

Victory came in the 1978-79 Gillette Cup domestic one day competition, and within a fortnight Tasmania had won their first ever Shield match, beating Western Australia by 4 wickets in Devonport, showing Tasmania was capable of competing amongst the nation's best.

Initially the side struggled for success and consistency and were the competitions whipping-boys throughout the 1980s. The rise of local hero, David Boon to international fame, showed the country, and the world, that Tasmanian cricket was here to stay. Despite this, the Tasmanian side struggled to win matches throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. Regardless of the lack of competitive success, this period did have one exceptionally bright point for the state, as Tasmania unearthed a rare talent in Ricky Ponting who would go on to become one of the world's best batsmen.

A reshuffle in the administration and organisation of the TCA in 1991 did not have an immdeiate effect, but the mid 1990s brought a more professional approach, and the state's side rebranded as the Tasmanian Tigers, and with a new headquarters in the renovated Bellerive Oval, the state finally started to achieve more regular success. The side surged to the final for the first time in 1993-94, only to lose to New South Wales, but showed they were capable of successes at first class level. The 1997-98 season saw the Tiger's qualify for the final off the back off a remarkable six straight victories, and they were desperately unlucky not to win the competition after such dominance.

In the late 1990s Tasmania continued to produce top level cricketers. Players such as Jamie Cox, Dene Hills, Shaun Young and Michael Di Venuto became stars of the state side, and can all be considered unlucky not to have found a place in the Australian side.

The Tigers continue to remain competitive in all forms of the Australian domestic game, and in 2006-07 were successful in claiming their first ever Pura Cup title. The Tigers have also qualified for the final on three occasions in 1993-94, 1997-98, and 2001-02, but at the time were unable to win the title.

The Tigers have faired better in the Ford Ranger Cup, wining it three times in 1978-79, 2004-05 and 2007-08. They have also been runners-up twice in 1977-78, and 1986-87. The Tigers were also unlucky to finish as runners-up in the second season of the Australian domestic Twenty20 KFC Twenty20 Big Bash competition in 2006-07.

[edit] Tasmanian Captains

[edit] Former players

[edit] Other notable former players

[edit] Tasmanian Hall of Fame

[edit] Team Records

[edit] Honours

2006-07
1993-94, 1997-98, 2001-02
1978-79, 2004-05, 2007-08
1977-78, 1986-87
2006-07

[edit] External links