Shannon Tubb

Shannon Tubb is still a young cricketer, but has nonetheless long been regarded as one of Australia's most exciting bowling prospects. There has been avid interest in his career ever since he ascended to the heights of Launceston first grade cricket at the tender age of 14 and assisted his team, Westbury, to win a premiership the same summer. A left arm wrist spinner, handy lower order batsman and enthusiastic fieldsman, Tubb went on to become a member of the Australian Under-17 squad in 1995-96 and a scholar at the Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide in both 1996 and 1997. He was part of various Academy and Australian underage teams which toured India, Sri Lanka and South Africa in 1997 and which played a series of one-day matches and unofficial 'Tests' at home against Pakistan in the summer of 1997-98, and was also a member of the Australian side which participated in the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa in 1998. In the meantime, he has also continued to be recognised as one of Tasmania's most talented junior players: a status reflected in his appointment as captain of the state's Under-19 team for the national carnival of 1998-99. Following a number of other appearances with Academy sides and with the Tasmanian Second XI, Tubb was promoted to his state's senior eleven for the first time in 1999-2000, taking 0/29 in a creditable effort in extreme heat against South Australia in Adelaide. The lightly built youngster followed his graduation to first-class honours with just one appearance during the 2000-01 season but saw more action in 2001-02 when he played an important role in propelling Tasmania to the Pura Cup Final. Possessing as he does an excellent repertoire for an unorthodox spinner (with cleverly varied flight and spin and a nicely disguised top spinner and flipper), his development is likely to continue to track a smooth course in forthcoming seasons. (John Polack, June 2002)

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