Downton, Doherty included in Tasmania's squad for Final

Left arm paceman Andrew Downton and left arm spinner Xavier Doherty have been included in the enlarged squad that Tasmania will take to Brisbane for the Pura Cup Final against Queensland, starting at the 'Gabba on Friday.

The Tigers have included the two players in a 14-man line-up picked in response to ongoing concerns over the fitness of strike bowler Damien Wright and to uncertainty over the state of the pitch that will greet them when they arrive in Brisbane tomorrow.

Downton has not played in a senior Tasmanian team since appearing in the state's opening two matches of the Pura Cup but has produced a series of impressive performances at both club and ACB Cup level.

Doherty, a member of the Australian side that recently landed the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, has also played two first-class matches for the Tigers this summer but lost his place to fellow left arm spinner Shannon Tubb late in the season.

They are the only two additions to the twelve that Tasmania used to defeat New South Wales last week in a win that guaranteed its passage to the decider.

Wright's struggle to overcome the effects of a persistent thigh injury, and the almost-certain appearance at the 'Gabba of a placid pitch, means that both Downton and Doherty are likely to come under serious consideration for a place in the starting eleven.

With victory in the Final, the Tasmanians would lift the maiden first-class title in their state's history. The Tigers' only previous appearances in the decider each resulted in defeats: an innings and 61 run loss to New South Wales in Sydney in 1993-94 and a seven wicket defeat at the hands of Western Australia in a hard-fought match in Perth in 1997-98.

Queensland was expected to name its squad for the match later today.

The full Tasmanian squad is: Jamie Cox (c), Scott Mason, Michael Dighton, Michael Di Venuto, Daniel Marsh, Scott Kremerskothen, Sean Clingeleffer, Damien Wright, David Saker, Gerard Denton, Shane Jurgensen, Shannon Tubb, Andrew Downton, Xavier Doherty (12th man to be named; two players to be omitted).