Tasmania have signed young Western Australian quick Alex Bevilaqua for next season as part of a squad littered with fast bowlers.
Bevilaqua, 22, played two Sheffield Shield matches for Western Australia in early 2018 but only managed a handful of Futures League games last season. The 207cm quick was a long-term project for the Warriors and had worked closely with Tasmania coach Adam Griffith when he was WA’s bowling coach prior to taking the head coaching role with the Tigers.
Bevilaqua joins a squad already featuring Jackson Bird, Riley Meredith, Gabe Bell, Sam Rainbird, Gurinder Sandhu, Tom Rogers and James Faulkner as the Tigers look to exploit the seamer friendly conditions at Bellerive Oval in both formats next season.
Tasmania have rewarded local talents Alex Pyecroft and Sean Willis after both men debuted in the Sheffield Shield last season following excellent performances in Tasmania Premier cricket. Pyecroft took 5 for 28 in his second match against Queensland.
Veteran George Bailey returns for his 19th season with Tasmania. He began last season as the Tigers’ skipper in both formats but handed the captaincy to Matthew Wade halfway through the season to concentrate on his batting. He suffered a nasty shoulder injury in the BBL semi-final playing for the Hobart Hurricanes but is expected be fit for the start of next season.
Tasmania batting coach Jeff Vaughan will oversee the start of the Tigers pre-season with Griffith away on secondment with Australia’s World Cup squad.
Tasmania Men’s 2019-20 squad George Bailey, Gabe Bell, Alex Bevilaqua, Jackson Bird, Alex Doolan, Jake Doran, James Faulkner, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Simon Milenko, Tim Paine, Alex Pyecroft, Sam Rainbird, Tom Rogers, Gurinder Sandhu, Jordan Silk, Matthew Wade, Charlie Wakim, Beau Webster, Sean Willis Rookies Iain Carlisle, Jarrod Freeman, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Keegan Oates, Jack White, Macallister Wright