TASMANIAN TIGERS

:''For the article about the animal 'Tasmanian Tiger', see Thylacine.''
The 'Tasmanian Tigers' are the official first-class cricket team of Tasmania, Australia. They play in domestic one-day, 4-day and Twenty20 competitions. Their home ground is Bellerive Oval on Hobart's Eastern Shore, though matches are occasionally played at venues in Devonport and Launceston.
They have won the domestic one day competition (currently named the Ford Ranger Cup) twice, in 1978-79 and in 2004-05. They have also been runners-up twice, in 1977-78 and 1986-87.
The Tigers won their first Sheffield Shield (Pura Cup) in the 2006-07 season, after almost 30 years in the competition. They had been runner-up three times, in 1993-94, 1997-98, and 2001-02.
The Tigers also compete in the domestic Twenty20 competition known as the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, and were runners-up in 2006-07.

Current Squad - 2007/08

Name	Nickname	Stats			Bat/Bowl	Notes
Name	Nickname	DoB	Country	Born	Bat/Bowl	Notes
Dane Anderson	Angry	October 19, 1984	Australia	Launceston, Tasmania	LHB
George Bailey	Hector, Geronimo	September 7, 1982	Australia	Launceston, Tasmania	RHB RHS	Deputy Vice Captain
Josh Bean		February 6, 1978	Australia		RHB RLS	Supplementary Contract
Travis Birt	Ernie	December 9, 1981	Australia	Hobart, Tasmania	LHB LAS
Luke Butterworth	Butts	October 28, 1983	Australia	Hobart, Tasmania	LHB RM
Sean Clingeleffer	Clinger, Cliffy	May 9, 1980	Australia	Hobart, Tasmania	LHB WKT
David Dawson	Smokey	March 7, 1982	Australia	Canberra, ACT	RHB WKT
Michael Dighton	Dights	April 24, 1976	Australia	Toowoomba, Queensland	RHB WKT
Michael Di Venuto	Diva	December 12, 1973	Australia	Hobart, Tasmania	LHB LAS	Australian ODI representitive
Xavier Doherty	X	November 22, 1982	Australia	Scottsdale, Tasmania	LHB SLA
Alex Doolan	Dools	November 29, 1985	Australia	Launceston, Tasmania	RHB RM	Rookie Contract
Andrew Downton	Ed	17 July 1977	Australia	Sydney, New South Wales	RHB LAM	Supplementary Contract
Brendan Drew	Drewy	December 16, 1983	Australia	Lismore, New South Wales	RHB RFM
Chris Duval	Bear	August 3, 1983	Australia	Elizabeth Vale, South Australia	RHB RFM
James Faulkner	Jimbo	April 29, 1990	Australia	Launceston, Tasmania	RHB LFM	Rookie Contract
Brett Geeves	Banger	June 13, 1982	Australia	Claremont, Tasmania	RHB RFM
Adam Griffith	Griffo	11 February, 1978	Australia	Launceston, Tasmania	RHB RFM
Ben Hilfenhaus	Hilfy	15 March, 1983	Australia	Ulverstone, Tasmania	RHB RFM	Australian ODI representitive
Jason Krejza	Crazy	January 14, 1983	Australia	Sydney, New South Wales	RHB ROB
Rhett Lockyear	Lockdog	February 28, 1983	Australia	Mudgee, New South Wales	RHB RM	Supplementary Contract
Tim MacDonald		September 7, 1980	Australia	Subiaco, Western Australia	RHB RFM
Daniel Marsh	SOB	June 14, 1973	Australia	Subiaco, Western Australia	RHB SLO	Vice Captain
Tim Paine	Julio, Kid	December 8, 1984	Australia	Hobart, Tasmania	RHB WKT
Ricky Ponting	Punter	19 December, 1974	Australia	Launceston, Tasmania	RHB RM	Captain, Australian Test and ODI representitive
Jason Shelton	Shelts	April 20, 1985	Australia	Launceston, Tasmania	RHB RLS	Rookie Contract
Jeremy Smith	Jerrald	October 23, 1988	Australia	Launceston, Tasmania	RHB RF	Rookie Contract
Nathan Wegman		June 4, 1977	Australia	Launceston, Tasmania	RHB RFM	Supplementary Contract
Jonathon Wells	PUG	August 13, 1988	Australia	Hobart, Tasmania	RHB RHS	Rookie Contract
Damien Wright	Moves	July 25, 1975	Australia	Casino, New South Wales	RHB RFM

History

Cricket almost certainly has been played in Tasmania since the time of European settlement in 1803. However the first, first class cricket match played in Tasmania, which was also the first ever first class cricket match in Australia, was played in 1851 between Victoria and Tasmania in Launceston. It was a timeless match, but only lasted for two days. Tasmania emerged victorious by 3 wickets.
Since that time, Tasmanian representative sides normally had to content themselves with matches against touring International sides during stop-overs whilst travelling by ship to mainland capitals, and the odd first class game against mainland state sides, usually one per season. The quality of cricket in Tasmania varied from time to time, but particularly in the post war period enjoyed a high period. This prompted moves to be made by the Tasmanian Cricket Association for further matches and recognition. A Famous victory against the Indian tourists in 1977 helped the TCA convince mainland cricket authorities Tasmanian cricket was of a nationally competitive level.
The Tasmanian Cricket Association first made a bid to join the Sheffield Shield in 1964, but was rejected. Despite this, Tasmania was granted full status into the domestic one day competition upon it's establishment in 1969. The Tasmanian team was finally admitted to the Sheffield Shield by the Australian Cricket Board in 1977 on a two year trial basis, although they played a reduced roster in comparisons to the other states.
Victory came in the 1978-79 Gillette Cup domestic one day competition, and within a fortnight Tasmania had won their first ever Shield match, beating Western Australia by 4 wickets in Devonport, showing Tasmania was capable of competing amongst the nation's best.
Initially the side struggled for success and consistency and were the competitions whipping-boys throughout the 1980s. The rise of local hero, David Boon to international fame, showed the country, and the world, that Tasmanian cricket was here to stay. Despite this, the Tasmanian side struggled to win matches throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. Regardless of the lack of competitive success, this period did have one exceptionally bright point for the state, as Tasmania unearthed a rare talent in Ricky Ponting who would go on to become one of the world's best batsmen.
A reshuffle in the administration and organisation of the TCA in 1991 did not have an immdeiate effect, but the mid 1990s brought a more professional approach, and the state's side rebranded as the Tasmanian Tigers, and with a new headquarters in the renovated Bellerive Oval, the state finally started to achieve more regular success. The side surged to the final for the first time in 1993-94, only to lose to New South Wales, but showed they were capable of successes at first class level. The 1997-98 season saw the Tiger's qualify for the final off the back off a remarkable six straight victories, and they were desperately unlucky not to win the competition after such dominance.
In the late 1990s Tasmania continued to produce top level cricketers. Players such as Jamie Cox, Dene Hills, Shaun Young and Michael Di Venuto became stars of the state side, and can all be considered unlucky not to have found a place in the Australian side.
The Tigers continue to remain competitive in all forms of the Australian domestic game, and in 2006-07 were successful in claiming their first ever Pura Cup title. The Tigers have also qualified for the final on three occasions in 1993-94, 1997-98, and 2001-02, but at the time were unable to win the title.
The Tigers have faired better in the Ford Ranger Cup, wining it twice in 1978-79, and in 2004-05. They have also been runners-up twice in 1977-78, and 1986-87. The Tigers were also unlucky to finish as runners-up in the second season of the Australian domestic Twenty20 KFC Twenty20 Big Bash competition in 2006-07.