If they are, well maybe it’s a good thing! Haha

Final also called off with the Blues being named Shield winners for 2019/20. Been a while since the Blues held aloft the trophy. To be honest if not for their Test players putting the team in such a strong position at end of the first half of the season.. they may not have won it. This shows the importance of having your best players available when possible.  

I will reiterate DC the BBL break kills momentum for shield players and teams. Specially if you are only playing white ball for its duration. Even worse if little or no cricket at all. Henry Hunt is one I fear in that category. He has lost the composure he had earlier and his scores are suffering. His partner Weatherall also has lost some form. These two were the Shield's best opening partnership before BBL. Not sure they are now. Doolan and Silk were also travelling well before the BBL break. Doolan specially is in terrible form and Silk is scratching scores. Others to have lost form are Henriques, Shaun Marsh, Tom Cooper.  It is easy to see the improving bowlers since they are now using the moving Dukes ball. Specially swingmen like Worrall and Sayers. While seamers are faring worse.. Tremain is badly out of form as is Conway and Boland.

Wakim and Elli completely outplayed any of their counterparts in the NSW team, batting (Wakim)  or pace bowling  Ellis).

The talent pool in NSW is huge. One wonders how many other players playing Sydney grade cricket, could immediately play successfully as FC cricketers   for other  states?

Kurtis Patterson was in great form a year ago, but seems to have lost his way. A year is a long time in cricket.

Also, whereas Alex Doolan's innings past 20 runs are usually punctuated with stylish cover, off and on drives and the Mark Waugh like clip to mid-wicket, they seem to have disappeared.

Charlie Wakim is a lovely technician to watch ATM. His family have also made friends with many TCA members too. I  hope his  form continues at number three for Tas. 

Webster was also very good at number 7 for his 48, but wasn't as commanding as the previous game against WA.

Jack Edwards has cut his hair and is simply a huge lad, with incredibly broad shoulders. His bowling was innocuous in this game, plus his batting wasn't particularly good either. For Australia A, or B, he was far  more impressive against the English Lions. Having said this, that game was played on a much better batting pitch.

Sam Rainbird swung the ball prodigiously away from the left handers, and  into  the right handers. His yorker to dismiss number 9, and subsequent LBW to dismiss the last NSW batter, Conway, were Starc like. He also bowled too many loose balls. 

Bell bowled unerringly accurately with the new ball, wobbling it a bit.

Ellis swung the ball away and cut it off the pitch into the right handed batters, bowling good line and length. In his first two Shield games he has taken 18 wickets. He and Wakim excelled against NSW who overlooked them!  

Tas wins by 9 wickets on  day 3!

Doolan and Silk scored a 101 opening partnership, with Doolan being dismissed by GOAT.

Either the NSW coach and analysts got it wrong, or Nevill did, but bowling one of the top Test finger spinners of all time, Lyon, for only about 16 overs in the game, was a losing decision.

Tasmania struggled far more against Lyon than any of  the NSW pace attack. Even on a wicket not conducive to spin, Tas have never faced a bowler of Lyon's quality, spin or pace , this Shield season. GOAT's class stood out on a benign pitch.

Conway was innocuous, Abbott usually potent with the new ball, but struggled after the shine  went off, and with Copleland bowling far worse than he did in the  same fixture last year, plus bowling too many innocuous short balls at military medium pace, gifted Tas the match. Nevill also pursed an uncisccessful around th ewicket attain Silk inpartuclalr. 

Tas's attack of Ellis, Bell and Rainbird completely outbowled them, plus Neil-Smith chipped in.

Nevill's keeping was very good. He was unlucky to lose the test keeping position to Wade. His counterpart, Paine also kept very well, and, captained Tasmania superbly.

Nevill should've kept Lyon on after 10 overs. He bowled him at 18 for two overs, then by the 30 over mark it was too late.

For mine, Wakim was the batter of the match and Ellis the bowler of the game. These guys are great mates and share a flat!

At the game live. 

Tas  0-52 chasing 128. 

We love the fact Nevill waited until 20th over to bring GOAT on! 

He has bowled some good balls, far more  threatening than any other spinner on the Shield this season. 

Love to mate. Where am I supposed to live and how am I supposed to live. I have no super.

No doubt that applies to Ellis, Neil- Smith and Mac Wright. Dont discount him. Imho he will make plenty of runs for Tassie.. perhaps even Australia.. Recall Bird playing a FC game or two.. Wakim I think too.. or was that 50 over cricket. I suppose Tassie cricket is grateful that the talent pool in my state is so large. Either that or the fact that our selectors are so crap at not being able to identify talent.

Move down here , Baggers!

You'd get about 40-60 days  live cricket, plus TCA functions and a social life with heaps of cricket loving TCA member  mates! Add another 30 days watching Tas female team live and grade cricket.

Tas is essentially local Tassie players and NSW expats. We reckon classy NSW expat  players like Bird, Ellis and Wakim, would not  even have played FC cricket if they'd stayed in NSW.

Tas still has Bird, Meredith and new bowler, the impressive  Pyecroft, due back from injury. 

Pyecroft suffered  a knee injury after taking 10 wickets at 28 in two innings earlier in the season. 

Ellis has been sensational. Rarely do any Tas players enter the Shield with a bang like he has. ironically, I think left arm Rainbird has bowled some fantastic huge outswingers to a left handed batters, inswingers to  RHB  balls at good pace for almost no wickets. Bell and Ellis are having the luck, bowling less bad balls.

As is so often the case in  cricket the solid looking Hughes got out, whilst the initially struggling Patterson rode his luck and then got his eye in. 

Lunch on day 3.

Tas had NSW on ropes at 6-139, but a decent partnership has helped the NSW cause. Abbott is having a very good game.

Is it going to be a Vic/Blues final? 

Your input is always good value, Baggers. 

Looks like your  Blues are putting up a decent 6th wicket partnership in the Apple Isle. 

Patterson is stale.. not played much cricket of late. To be fair got himself out by putting his leg side flick in the air. He is coming off a solid 90 against England Lions last week. So encouraging.  Bowling is winning over batting with the Dukes this year. Some batsmen will always struggle against the moving ball. With Ellis and Neil-Smith this is looking a more balanced Tassie attack to me. I keep saying it. I love Ellis' enthusiasm and confidence. Neil-Smith is probably the opposite.. laid back but talented nevertheless. Bell and Rainbird keep holding their own. 

Well KW I am not a nutter but I admit I dont have much of a life outside the net.. specially discussion forums. I expect you do and I know DC has a busy life. Surprised he finds time to come on here.  I am rather a forumholic. Thats what comes with retirement and losing contact with former friends. If I am not on here or other sports forums I am bashing someone's ear on my baby boomers site. 

 I don't always post, but visit the site most days. Busy life away from this  internet site, mate.

There are also some nutters with no life off the internet, who I don't choose to engage with, or read any of the crap they post. A bunch of good blokes discussing sport invariably attracts attention seeking nutters who spoil sensible discussion by posting utter crap.  

Vics right on top against Croweaters.

Openers give Queensland the upper hand against WA after big opening stand from Burns and Street.

Hard to believe high flying Blues are struggling against Tas, who have only won two games this season. 

I'm not sure if it has anything to do with too many other Shield teams playing on drop in wickets?

Interesting to read about NSW V Tas, but is anyone at the other two Shield games? 

Not sure if Rainbird has a wicket yet, but he has swung it prodigiously - too much to induce edges, interspersed with some loose balls. 

Ellis took another 5 or 6 for in the first innings, whilst Bell bowled effective line and length on a pitch doing a bit. Loves the Dukes ball and Bellerive wicket, howling accurate seaming and swinging deliveries. 

After looking scratchy initially, Patterson has played some decent shots. 

Best innings so far though has been Wakim’s classy knock of 70 odd. 

I should also add Tas has little experience playing world class finger spin too. 

Weather. Is freezing, so many of us have gone home. 

Abbott bowled very well with new ball -  as usual. Im
not sure but ideal he struggles with lack of stamina, or bowling with ball with less shine. 

Conway’s open chested action was okay with older ball. 

Whoever NSW Captain is, they have wasted Lyon. Arguably top spinner in world cricket bowls 8 or so overs in the innings. He bowled some quicker balls initially, but as he started to loop a few and turn them, 2nd new ball was due. This was a huge gift  to Tas! 

Best bowler to play red red ball cricket on Bellerive for the whole summer was barely bowled! 

Many NSW supporters in TCA Members. 

Tas has many NSW players in team. 

Bell and Rainbird enjoying bowling with Dukes ball. Ellis loves it! 

Copeland bowled much worse than last season with Dukes in this fixture. 

GOAT underbowled by NSW. 

Wakim batted well for  Tas, as did Webster. Paine really attacked. Silk, Doran both out of form, whilst McDermott was scratchy. Doolan was given out when he didn’t hit the ball. 

Sitting with Charlie Wakim’s family. 

Ellis came to Tas to join great mate, Charlie! 

We love both both players who are in form ATM. 

Tas right on top! 

I am at the game live. 

Patterson looks hopelessly out of form. Neil-Smith takes the wicket of the far more solid looking Hughes, caught in slips.

NSW 2-30 after being 75 runs behind Tas on first innings.  

DC have all the other posters been mysteriously spirited away. Seems you and I are now the sole contributors. Robbie was very interested in state cricket. She left without a word. The big mystery is KW. Where are you guys and gals.. this forum is a graveyard without you..

Just watching Ellis devastate a strong Blues lineup. This kid oozes confidence. Like on his debut.. all either LB, bowled or snaffled in the cordon. He sure knows how to target the stumps. Rarely does he stray from that line.  Blues selectors you let a good'n get away.. you nongs.

Good to finally have a Blues v Tigers match.. and at Bellerive so you lucky blokes can see it live. The selectors are thinking on bowling but they continue to ignore poor batting performances and rewarding good showings in Tassie Premier League. I was looking at stats and Sean Willis and Mac Wright are both putting in solid seasons. As is a young bloke that impressed me in the U19 Nationals.. Mitchell Owen. I expect this is his first season in the top grade..

I think we have a game tomorrow in the Shield.

NSW v Tasmania.

The rain has belted down all day today.