Hawks

Hawthorn and the Tasmanian government have now been in a sponsorship relationship for the last four years and during this time the partnership has been beneficial for both parties.

As reported in the Mercury on March the 10th Hawthorn now has 7338 Tasmanian members with the lofty aim of gaining 10,000 before the year is out. 16% of Hawthorn members are Tasmanian and York Park has given the Hawks a real home ground advantage.

Tasmania has in turn benefitted in the way of Tourism Dollars and jobs. A government media release has the Minister for Tourism, Michelle O’Byrne stating:

We now welcome more than one million visitors a year to Tasmania and a good number of these are coming to watch the footy at Aurora Stadium. The Hawthorn partnership supports up to 300 Tasmanian full-time jobs and generates $15 million worth of economic impact each year – terrific for Tasmania and a great endorsement for AFL football.

Ex premier Paul Lennon has also stated in an article in the Mercury that Hawthorn have now reached their saturation point in the state and they have a firm standing in the north.  The only other way for Tasmania to expand its interest into the AFL was for another team to play games in the south of the state at Bellerive Oval.

Mr Lennon said:

I have always argued this is the logical next step along the way to getting our own team and I still think that is some way off, waiting for our own team in Tasmania is one thing but being pig-headed in that and not looking at an opportunity that exists now is stupid in policy terms.

On the back of all this Richmond have considered playing games at Bellerive as Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale has put a proposal to the board to play two games at Bellerive from next year.  Essendon have also raised interest in Tasmania but only as an away team.  Essendon’s CEO Ian Robson knows the impact of the Tasmanian/Hawthorn deal first hand while at being at Hawthorn for five years before joining the Bombers.

All this could be good timing as the Tasmanian Government go into negotiations with Hawthorn on the future of the sponsorship deal.

As much AFL football as possible should be played in the state if we are serious about one day having our own team.  It would not only lift the standard of local competitions but would give us as a position to learn from the clubs that play at the elite level and show the AFL that Tasmanian’s can consume more than four games a year.

The latest news about this match is:

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam has dropped Kamran Akmal as wicketkeeper after a disappointing Sydney test, dropping Mike Hussey three times. Hussey went on to score an unbeaten 134.
Akmal will be replaced by Sarfraz Ahmed & did not rule out Kamran Akmal being in the squad as a specialist batsman.

Today in an effort to prove his fitness and get back into the side, Simon Katich took part in two stints of batting practise in the nets, fielding practise and also bowled his wrist spin.
After todays efforts all signs seem positive for his return, which will mean future star Phil Hughes will more than likley miss the third test, especially after out of form Marcus North has been backed in to play through his dry spell by both Captain Ricky ponting and coach Tim Nielson.

Ex Pakistani coach and former Australian pacemen Geoff Lawson has said that the Psychological impact suffered on the Pakistan team due to the dissapointment from the Sydney Test will be enough for Australia to inflict a heavy defeat on them during the third test.

Bellerive Oval

Tassie Tigers

To attract big name players to the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, Cricket Australia gave each team an extra $50,000 and each state was allowed to recruit up to two foreign players.

Tasmania’s first player was Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga who then pulled out due to commitments to his national side. Malinga was then replaced by England all-rounder Dimitri Mascarenhas, who then also had to withdraw due to a right knee meniscus tear.

Then with only weeks to the first KFC Twenty20 Big Bash game, David Boon (General Manager – Tasmanian Cricket Operations) recruited Rana Naved-ul-Hasan.

Rana Naved-ul-Hasan is a fast medium bowler who plays for Pakistan, Yorkshire County Cricket Club & now the Tigers in their tilt at the KFC Twenty20 big bash. He has never made huge in-roads into his national side and now holds a ‘C’ grade contract.

In Tasmania’s second game of the series, Rana (or Torana as parts of the wet area were calling him) stood up as the match winner & in doing so stamped himself as a cult hero to the Bellerive crowd.

His night started out by scoring a quick fire 47 from 27 balls in a very important partnership with Travis Birt, that gave Tasmania a defendable score of 167, after a poor start by our top order.

He then followed this up with his bowling at the death by claiming three wickets (Porter, Noffke & Doropoulos). Getting the crowd going with his excitement after every wicket, he eventually had the crowd cheering his name with every delivery. After one wicket he even sprinted within 30 meters of the packed hill to celebrate.

He was also involved in two run outs. Getting Mitch Marsh after the ball was hit back down the pitch and rebounding off his hands and the winning wicket, when in his desperation to win the ball collided with the Warrior batsman, but held it together to lob the ball over the batsman’s head to run him out.

After the game Rana said of the Bellerive crowd:

I love it very much.They are very nice guys. Nice crowd. Lovely people here. I’d be glad to come over here again, inshallah. I have no word for that. I’m very happy

It’ll open up obviously us to a greater ability to gain some night sport other than cricket, so that is something that’s a real positive for us and also we’ll continue to be able to have international cricket here at Bellerive Oval for a long time.

Ford Ranger Cup games to be played under the lights this season are:

• Tasmania v Western Australia on 13th December 2009
• Tasmania v Victoria on 27th January 2010
• Tasmania v Queensland on 13th February 2010

All games are scheduled to start at 2:15 PM.

KFC Twenty20 Big Bash games to be played under lights are:

• Tasmania v New South Wales on 30th December 2009
• Tasmania v Western Australia on New Years day 2010

These games are scheduled to start at 6:45 PM.

Belerive Oval

Peter George was ripping through the Tigers & had them 3-28 until Cowan & Marsh joined forces, to put on 240-run fourth wicket partnership.

Cowan finished with 225 after being caught by Haberfield off the bowling of George. He faced 324 ball & was at the crease for over seven hours. His innings also included 33 fours & 1 six, scoring at a strike rate of 69.44.

In a Herald Sun article, Cowen said of his innings:

It’s really rewarding that I’ve repaid a bit of faith that the coach, the captain and the selectors have shown in me, they’ve been fantastic, really working hard trying to improve my game and it seems to have worked.
I’ve really enjoyed the lifestyle change, the group and as a whole I couldn’t be happier as a person.
Today is just the icing on the cake.

The Tigers ended up with 389 and would of been lucky to reach tripple figures if not for Cowan & Marsh.

A couple of other notes from the article:

• Cowan’s is only the second century on a home ground debut at Bellerive after Tasmanian favorite Michael Di Venuto.
• George’s innings wicket tally of 8-84 surpassed the previous best at Bellerive by Tom Moody, who took 7-38.

Ed Cowan in his NSW kit.
Image: paddynapper

Ed Cowan on Wikipedia
Ed Cowan at Crickinfo

The game will be played at Bellerive Oval on Saturday the 23rd of February .

A Dan Marsh interview after the South Australian game looking forward to the Ford Ranger Cup Final.

A tight bowling and fielding performance restricted South Australia to 7-127 and the Tigers responded by getting the runs with a record (for the two year old comp) 57 balls remaining.

The Tigers need now to win only one more game out of their remaining two games to be guaranteed a finals position.

Check out the article: FOX SPORTS

• Sportal – History for Tasmania
• The Australian – Tasmania triumphant after maiden Cup victory
• The Mercury – Top of the world

The Mercury article even goes as far as saying the Tigers can claim to be the best side outside of international cricket. A big statement but probably not far from the truth. They more than likely would even beat some of the minnow nations in the world cup.