Playing in their first Launceston match of the national championships, the home side found things difficult on NTCA No.2, slumping to 4-15 in the fifth over before eventually reaching 129.

South Australia raced past the total inside 23 overs with Henry Dall and Bailey Capel both posting half-centuries.

Tubb, whose charges have recorded a win, a draw and a loss from three games, was philosophical about his side’s performance and said his troops would regroup ahead of the clash with Victoria on Friday. 

“If you’re 4-15 in your first five or six overs of the match in one-day cricket it’s very difficult to pin down a large score to bowl at,” he said. 

“We’ve played exactly the same positive cricket we’ve played the last few days, it was just that today it didn’t work out, a couple of guys nicked one and that can happen in one day cricket.

“We’re definitely not running with our tail between our legs, it’s just getting back to making sure that in the day-night game that we still play that aggressive, attacking brand of cricket we’ve been talking about in the lead-up to the carnival.”

George Town all-rounder Jarrod Freeman did his national under-19 selection hopes no harm, top-scoring with a gritty 35 and combining with captain Dylan Hay (27) for an innings-high partnership of 48.

The two batsmen helped Tasmania to 4-63 before Redbacks spinner Lloyd Pope took centre stage, turning the NTCA into a mini Vatican City on his way to figures of 4-23 off 10 overs.

Another Freeman – Hobart bowler Jack – made 32 batting at number 10 to rival his Northern teammate and add some respectability to the scorecard.

“Jarrod played nicely for his 30-odd,” Tubb said of his star all-rounder.

“He was batting really well but unfortunately with the loss of other wickets it left him in a difficult position later in the game with only the number 10 and 11 left.”

Freeman also opened the bowling, sending down 8.5 overs for a return of 0-37.

“South Australia have two left-handers so Jarrod was always going to open.

“It’s really important to expose him to the opportunity to open the bowling as well, it’s an important part of the game in short-form cricket and Jarrod’s done an important job for us in the past.”

In Thursday’s other games, Western Australia and CA XI played out a thrilling tie, while NSW Metro, Northern Territory and ACT-NSW Country all nabbed wins. 

Tasmania and Victoria meet at UTAS Stadium at 1.30pm Friday.