It was great final day. Tassie had one more wicket to get (if Hastings was too injured to bat).

Bird appealed vociferously for an LBW. It was unsuccessful. The rain came down at 9.10 pm and it was all over with under 5 overs to go. Victoria were 8 - 300 odd, needing about 50 to win.

Tassie's best bowler was Sam Rainbird. He hit the pads repeatedly with swing, but his many appeals were unsuccessful. He went to high school about  1000 metres from the Bellerive Oval.

Dan Christian batted resolutely and saved Victoria. Given they were top of the Shield ladder, Tassie dominated after being 4-50 odd on the first day.

 Test batsman Hanscomb disappointed in both innings.

3rd Day

Tassie has set something like 350 plus for a 2nd innings chase.

 Tasmania's Beau Webster made 120 odd not out for Tassie batting at 4. A couple of blokes I've met in the Members, one a former state cricket captain and another a former state selector, can't find a chink in his technique! They can find them in just about every other batter in Australia though. The only other batter they couldn't find anything wrong was Kane Williamson.

Another Tassie batter, opener Jordan Silk, looked good for 76. The Members' experts think he stands too front on and his front foot is faulty getting into position. He played some copybook shots, and was mooted as a future Test batter a few years back.

Basically, the rest of the Tasmanian batters are pretty mediocre, apart from wicketkeeper Doran. Once Bailey, Faulkner and Doolan (recovers from a broken jaw)  return they will be dropped pretty quickly. All have technical issues according to the Members' experts and aren't really Shield standard. 


Webster played classy, stylish shots all round the wicket, but played the ball on its merits. He had a strike rate of 50ish. He batted for over 3 sessions and  displayed excellent concentration with a chanceless innings  until he was dropped on 120. Given he made 80 not out in the last game against NSW under great pressure to save the game, if he is not careful he could find himself in Test calculations!

Another cricket mate in the Members has a book and almost no current batsman has  an average over 40 in the Shield. Hanscomb and Maddinson only average 37, Bailey 39ish.

Kawaja averages 47 in the Shield and 46 in Tests.

it will be interesting to see how Victoria's new Test batter, Hanscomb, goes in the run chase tomorrow? Unfortunately, rain is forecast.

Holland for Victoria only took 1 wicket in the second innings after taking 5 in the first from his finger spin. Was accurate and economical in the second innings and will probably go to India.

Thought Milenko for Tasmania looked innocuous, but as it got dark he beat the bat consistently with the new ball. He made two fifties in the game though batting at 8.

 Sam Rainbird is a left arm pace bowler who swings it at a decent clip.   I think he took 3 or 4 wickets in the First Innings.

Jackson Bird has looked no better than Tremain the Victorian speedster,  who looks like he bowls at a fair clip. I'm not sure if anyone has seen Tremain bowl recorded by a speed gun?

With players away on One Day International duty, this game has less significance for Test team selections.

Holland took five wickets in the first innings for Victoria.

The game is low scoring. I was confusing Tremain and Boland, but one of them seems to be bowling some  quite quick stuff. Although sheer speed is hard to decipher to the naked eye when one views the speed gun. Jackson Bird was accurate, without being threatening. Apparently he swung the ball fair bit at dusk yesterday.

Without the injured Doolan,  and Bailey and Faulkner on ODI duty, this is a pretty weak Tasmanian team. Jordan Silk looked to have class with the bat, playing some nice shots in a well compiled unbeaten 50. Not much else to report after the second day.


As a spectator a few of us see the pink ball more easily than the red ball in daylight.