Sam Rainbird believes the Big Bash League break may have stolen some vital momentum from Tasmania, which played a key-role in the Tigers’ 206-run loss to Queensland over the weekend.
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Six members of the XI that fell to the Bulls were part of Hobart Hurricanes’ losing BBL final in Adelaide on February 4 before travelling to Brisbane four days later.
“It was a bit disappointing at the Gabba, as we had momentum before the Big Bash and we probably lost it a bit in that game,’’ Rainbird said ahead of the clash with Western Australia from Friday.
“It was a quick turnaround for the guys that played in the BBL and hard for them to switch their focus, with one or two training sessions with the Dukes ball.
“That is opposed to a guy like me who didn’t really play for the Hurricanes, we’ve probably been preparing for two or three weeks.”
The challenge for Tigers is to get back on track at Bellerive Oval against the Warriors, a side that took third position on the Shield table off them.
“As a team we will just be sticking to the processes that we have been sticking to all year when it comes to defence and shot selection and stuff like that,’’ Rainbird said.
“So I think the batters are just continuing on with what they have been doing and they know they have had a week where it didn’t quite go to plan and just looking to correct things a bit this week.
“We’re just looking to play good cricket at the moment and we know that the ladder is really close.
“We’re only a couple of wins away from being top and playing in a Shield final, so I think it is more about our processes and how we go about it and the brand of cricket that we want to play.”
Rainbird has taken 22 wickets at 25.86 this summer.
“Me and Griff (coach Adam Griffith) sat down at the start of the year and talked about what is ahead for me and to just try to keep things simple and easy and I think we have done that pretty well, and I’m just trying to continue that really,’’ he said.
The clash with the Warriors will start at 10.30am.
Meanwhile, the Tasmanian Roar will recommence its WNCL season on Friday against New South Wales at Lindisfarne Oval. That match will start at 10am.
Tasmanian Roar squad
Brooke Hepburn (c), Corinne Hall (vc), Stefanie Daffara, Emily Divin, Erin Fazackerley, Isobel Joyce, Meg Phillips, Veronica Pyke, Celeste Raack, Georgia Redmayne, Emma Thompson, Courtney Webb, Laura Wright.