Tim Paine’s preparations for Australia’s upcoming series against Sri Lanka will see the Test skipper miss his club side’s trip to the North-West Coast on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
University will be the away side for the Greater Northern Raiders’ historic first fixture in the region, when the two sides clash at Burnie’s West Park on Saturday in a Kookaburra Cup 50-over fixture.
Paine leads Australia into battle in the first Test against Sri Lanka from January 24.
University coach Ben Harrison confirmed Paine was not part of his team’s plans.
Rival Raiders coach Andrew Gower said he was disappointed to learn that his side again wouldn’t be getting the chance to cross paths with the Test keeper.
“We’ve had a couple of opportunities to play against [Paine] which haven’t taken place and it would have been nice for our players to have got the chance to get to know him and see how he goes about,’’ he said. “We will go into this game confident as we know the ground quite well and we are looking forward to sharing the Raiders with the North-West coast.”
Despite University’s only other national or state contracted player James Faulkner being on Big Bash League duty with the Hobart Hurricanes, the opposition are still likely to be dangerous.
