Improving cricket infrastructure in the North of the state has been identified as one of top recommendations of Mike Hussey’s review into Tasmanian cricket.
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The North-West and the North, two areas of the state seemingly neglected with the sport’s high performance arm being based in Hobart, have been identified as problem areas by Hussey’s report into the Cricket Tasmania’s Make Pathways and High Performance programs, which Hussey presented to the Cricket Tasmania board on Monday.
It states that facilities and grounds in both regions “need to be improved and developed, with an emphasis on quality turf nets and up-to-date indoor and sports science/sports medicine facilities”.
While the infrastructure in the two regions does need attention, the structure of the Cricket North West and Cricket North competitions are sufficient.
The other major themes of the review were:
- A need for player skill development with talented coaches, including specialist and club coaches at all levels, from the under-13s through to the Tasmanian Tigers program.
- Due to overload on Bellerive Oval a separate training venue in the Hobart area needs to be developed.
- More resources and investment are required in the pathway programs and development of local talent is imperative.
- Recruiting strategy needs to focus on identifying the best under-19-21 players in Australia and also recruiting the 10th-15th best players from other states.
- A restructure of the roles within Cricket Tasmania cricket operations, with a high performance manager focussing on high performance and with less report/area responsibilities.
Cricket Tasmania chairman Andrew Gaggin said the common theme of it was the importance of using the right talent in the right positions.
“The Cricket Tasmania board and management will now work our way through Mr Hussey’s report and remaining recommendations and look to implement those as much as possible within the obvious financial restraints,’’ Gaggin said.
The report was commissioned following a summer that saw Tasmania claim the Sheffield Shield wooden spoon and Dan Marsh and Damien Wright sacked as Tigers and Hurricanes coach.
Alex Fair
Deputy Editor of The Advocate on the North-West Coast of Tasmania.
Deputy Editor of The Advocate on the North-West Coast of Tasmania.
