Tasmania will be without Sheffield Shield centurion Ben McDermott and top-order batter Tim Ward for today’s One Day Cup clash against Victoria, but will welcome Hurricanes star Tim David into the side.
The Tigers beat Victoria by four runs in the Sheffield Shield at Ninja Stadium this week with McDermott scoring 128 despite back spasms forcing him to retire hurt early in his innings before returning.
His 166-run eighth-wicket partnership with Jake Doran was a state record and helped Tasmania recover from 7-45 on the opening morning.
Coach Jeff Vaughan said McDermott was “probably unlikely” to play on Saturday, with the focus on next Friday’s Shield match.
Vaughan said the innings was “a bit of a legacy moment” for McDermott, adding: “I think there’s very much a chance of him for higher honours.”
Ward withdrew from the Shield match shortly before play began on the first day. Vaughan said he would also miss Saturday’s game but was expected to return for the Shield.
“I’d be very confident that he’ll be right for next Friday,” he said.
David, who played one one-day game for Tasmania around four or five years ago, will make a rare domestic 50-over appearance.
Vaughan said David wanted to make himself available for the upcoming 50-over World Cup.
“He wants to keep playing in this format, learn it, be good at it and then make it possible for the Australians to select him in that format as well,” he said.
Vaughan also praised fast bowler Gabe Bell, who took 6-72 to seal the Shield win.
The Tigers have won two of their first three white-ball matches this season.
The Tigers play Victoria at 10:30am at Bellerive Oval today.
