There had been a collective groan let out in the dressing rooms moments after the side’s only preseason hitout.
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But it had nothing to do with the Greater Northern Raiders pulling up sore.
Coach Andrew Gower had to remind his new team of its early morning start six days out from the historic Cricket Tasmania Premier League unveiling on Saturday.
The bus ride to Kingston for the pre-daylight saving game asked players to turn up hours earlier than they had ever anticipated when signing up to the Northern Tasmanian club.
“That’s part and parcel of it all,” Gower said.
“We’ll be used to it for a 5:30 [in the morning] start.
“I think there will be a fair bit of excitement around and it will use up a bit of nervous energy. So it will be good for the group to bond together.”
The long journey to meet Kingborough – the furthest in the Hobart-based competition – will be the least of the concerns for the debutants.
The side that boasts young talent from Cricket North and North West has yet to be tested against some of the state’s first-class regulars.
But Gower said that the Raiders do not feel any pressure to succeed straight away off the back of the hype from their long-awaited arrival.
Instead, he utters the word “opportunity”.
“I don’t think it’s about being underdogs or anything like that,” Gower said.
“I think it’s just the opportunity that has been created –we’re all different but I think we all have to be challenged and take the opportunity when they’re presented to us.
“There is just no better opportunity for this group of guys than put themselves up in lights and look to be selected for Tassie in the future.”
Gower has scoped out the opposition for a gameplan to best prepare his side for the unknown. But the Raiders hope to go under the radar.
Left-arm paceman James Beattie will bring his taste of premier league cricket to the fore for the side, as nine of the squad have represented Tasmania at under-age cricket.
But state allrounder and bowling coach Evan Gulbis will set a higher standard.
“They’ve all got a feel for playing on good, fast decks and playing against the best players,” Gower said. “So, they’re under no illusion of what it’s going to take to win.”
Andrew Mathieson
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
