George Bailey

Tasmanian Cricket captain George Bailey was chosen to replace the embattled Michael Clarke for the rest of the Chappell-Hadlee series being played in New Zealand.

Bailey who was in preparation for the Tigers last shield game of the season when he got the call up, has not played at international level but is prepared to take any opportunity with both hands.

The call up comes off the back of a terrific Ford Ranger cup season. 538 runs at an average of 59.78 which includes one century and five half centuries. Bailey’s form had a lot to do with the Tigers capturing their fourth Ford Ranger Cup championship, it was also Bailey’s first year as Captain.

George Bailey media conference on the Cricket Australia website

The timing is a little bit off for the Tasmanian as the last ODI against New Zealand will be played on Saturday the 13th of March with Bailey’s Deccan Chargers playing their first IPL game for season 2010 less than 24 hours later.

Image by addynapper

 This victory gives Tasmania four titles in Australia’s one-day domestic competition, the first being in 1978/79 and the last three being within the last six seasons.

 A lot has been said about Victoria’s missing star’s in Captain Cameron White, David Hussey and Dirk Nannes who were all on international duties but fail to recognise that Tasmania were without Brett Geeves and Ben Hilfenhouse who are both injured and Ricky Ponting who was resting from international duties.

 It has also been suggested that Victoria lost the final by dropping  Tasmania opener Michael Dighton on 9 and 42 as he went on to score 80. But no credit should be lost on The Tigers who batted and bowled brilliantly.

 Along with Michael Dighton’s 80, Tim Paine played a calculated innings by scoring a century and steering Tassies innings.  When wickets did fall Ed Cowan stepped up to carve out 61 runs from 66 balls and together with Lockyear, Kreja and Marsh managed to get the score over the 300 mark.

 On the bowling front Jason Kreja opened and was hugely economical putting pressure on the batsmen for the other bowlers to take advantage of, Gerard Denton taking the most with five.

Tassie Tigers

Catches win matches and Western Australia dropped any chance of playing in this seasons Ford Ranger Cup match, while Travis Birt secured a spot for the Tigers.
Chasing 232 for victory the Tigers were given multiple chances by the Warriors. Luke Ronchi dropped Tim Paine on eight and he went on to score a half century. Mitch Marsh dropped two catches in the outfield, but it was an unbeaten 93 by Travis Birt that steered the Tigers to victory by five wickets, with a ball to spare and gave them a Ford Ranger Cup berth.
One question remained and that was were the final was to be played and that came down to the game between Victoria and Queensland at the GABBA. The winner would host the final and if the game was washed out then Tasmania would be the host.
A bruising 136 not out by Brad Hodge sealed the win for Victoria and cementing a home final for the Bushrangers.
The final will be played this Sunday the 28th February at the MCG and will be telecast on Fox Sports 503 starting at 2pm.

Travis Birt

Birt’s inclusion came due to his heavy hitting and good performances in the Australian domestic Twenty20 competition, playing a total of 22 games at an average of 23.25 and with a strike rate of 132.48. 

Andrew Keyte wrote an article for the SportsAustralia web site stating that we are seeded below Bangledesh for the upcoming world cup and that was due to playing our one-day squad in Twenty20 matches when more enthuses should be placed on playing specialists. Tim Paine was the only Tasmanian to make his hypothetical team. 

The popularity of this form of the game has forced us to start picking specialist players. The dollars, the Indian dominance over world cricket affairs and sportsbetting will rule in the end. 

Birt has now had a chance and was dismissed for one, let hope he gets another go and makes the squad for the upcoming World cup.

Tassie Sports

This weeks Tasmanian related sports news:

• Water Skiers fall just short – The Mercury
• Cyclist Will Clarke interview – Daily Peleton
• Tasmania to host 2011 Adventure Racing World Championships – Government Media Release
• Matt Goss compared to Stuart O’Grady – Cycling News
• Tim Paine makes Andrew Keyte’s Twenty20 world cup squad – Sports Australia
• Extended Bushrangers squad for match against Tassie – Sportal

#47 Little Debbie Toyota Camry image: jdanvers

I found this article on the Fayetteville Observer web site, which states factors which have gone into making Marcos Ambrose’s introduction into Nascar racing could not have gone any smoother.  Here’swhy;

• He has two V8 supercars championships & has a NASCAR Nationwide Series event victory.
• Being 33 years old with experience & success on his side could give him another 15 years in the sport.
• He drives for a young and fully fundedracing team – JTG Daugherty Racing.
• In his first full Sprint Cup season, he finished higher in points than established stars such as Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Elliott Sadler and Bobby Labonte.
• Has had  five top-5 finishes

On season 2009 and on the upcoming season Ambrose stated:

I needed to do something like to make a stance in the sport. I wanted to make an impression so I had a job. Two-thousand-nine was all about looking good; 2010 is all about converting that into success.

Season 2010 starts next week for Ambrose when he starts practice and qualifying for the Daytona 500 on Feb. 14.

The games to be played are as follows: 

1.  Thursday 28 January- 7pm
2.  Saturday 30 January- 5pm
3.  Sunday 31 January- 7pm

Hockey Australia Chief Executive Mark Anderson stated the reason’s behind offer the three game series to Tasmania: 

One of our key objectives is to ensure the exposure of our sport across Australia. It is important that Tasmania has exposure to our elite teams and we are aware that it has been a long time since the State had the opportunity to host the Kookaburras. These Test matches offer sports lovers in Tasmania a tremendous opportunity to see one of Australia’s most successful sporting teams live and we would encourage spectators to make the most of the series. 

This test series will give  Beijing Olympian, Tasmanian Eddie Ockenden his first international on home soil. Ockenden’s profile has soared after being chosen last month in the World Hockey All Star team.  

Ticket prices:(no concessions) 

Daily tickets available at the gate on the night or available from the Tasmanian Hockey Center or Golding and Son Jeweller in Hobart (cnr Mall & Liverpool St)

 

Seat $15 – Seat seasons pass $40

Adult daily $10 – Adult seasons pass $20

Child daily $5 – Child seasons pass $10

Family daily $25 – Family seasons pass $60

 

 

 The Hero Honda Hockey world Cup starts February 28th in New Dehli. 

Eddie Ockenden

Photo by Will Ockenden. 

Tassie Sports

This weeks Tasmanian related sports news:

• Women rally in support of McGrath Foundation – Rally Sport
• Wesley Sulzberger attacked with Cadel Evans – Road.cc
• Kookaburras three-Test series against Korea in Tasmania – Daily Teleghraph
• Rana and Geeves get KFC Big Bash Hatricks – ESPN Star
• Lucas Wilson to ride at Tasmanian Rodeo’s – Warwick Daily News
• Ambrose makes top 10 Australian sports earners – The Mercury
• Tasmanian opposition government pledge $1.5m for Kingston sports complex – ABC News
• Ponting rises 13 spots in the ICC Test rankings after Hobart Test – Sportal
• Hilfy doubtful for tour of New Zealand – Cricinfo

Burnie Tennis Club

The McDonald’s Burnie International Tennis Tournament starts on the 30th January and will feature Alicia Molik, Jarmilla Groth, Brydan Klein & Bernard Tomic.   

The Burnie International Tennis Tournament is the only Challenger level event in Australia and will feature prize money of $50,000 for the men & $25,000 for the women.  The Challenger level is part of the ATP world tour and is the secondary professional Tennis circuit used by young up & coming tennis players as a stepping stone. 

The world’s number 1 ranked 17-year-old Tennis player Bernard Tomic will feature after loosing a second round, five set marathon against world number 14 Marin Cilic at the Australian Open.  

The game finished at 2:09 am in the morning and had Tomic complaining that it was ridiculous for a 17-year-old to have been scheduled to play at that time. Insisting that if it was scheduled during the day, that the result would have been different. 

Qualifying sessions are schedules for Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st of January with the main draw starting the 1st of February with the final being played on the 7th February. 

Tour Down Under

Two Tasmanian cyclist are currently competing in  this years Santos Tour Down Under,  joing the likes of Lance Armstrong, Oscar Pereiro & Cadel Evans.  They are the Launceston duo of Matthew Goss & Wesley Sulzberger.

Matthew Goss wears bib number 46 and rides for Team HTC – Columbia (USA) and Wesley Sulzberger will wear number 101 and rides for the French team Francaise Des Jeux.

After stage one which was held today, Goss & Sulzberger finished with the main field with a time of 3.15′30″.

Some Fact about the tour:

• 12 Year history – ProTour status in 2008
• Teams compete for UCI ranking points
• The only tour held outside of Europe
• The Leaders jersey is Ochre