Tasmania closes out pre-season with another win

Tasmania has maintained its unbeaten pre-season record by defeating a New South Wales composite side in today's practice match between the teams at the Shore School in Sydney.

Led by an excellent all-round display from Shaun Young (64 and 0/37) and a commanding innings from captain Ricky Ponting (64), the Tasmanians achieved their five-wicket victory with two overs remaining in a match played against a side containing a good mixture of youth and experience.

Openers Corey Richards (78), taking his first steps on the comeback trail after suffering from DVT, and Greg Mail (37) powered the locals to an excellent start after they had won the toss under sunny skies.

But they were slowly pegged back by Young and fellow all-rounder Shane Watson (2/22) and the total extended no higher than 5/228 by the end of the opening session.

Still searching for its best opening batting combination, Tasmania experimented with Watson (12) and Michael DiVenuto (10) but both were out cheaply. That set the scene for a match-winning partnership from Young and Ponting, though the loss of their wickets and that of Jamie Cox (5) in quick succession late in the afternoon made for a slightly disconcerting period.

New South Wales and Australian fast bowler Nathan Bracken's comeback performance from his own injury troubles, meanwhile, yielded the figures of 2/41 from his allotment of ten overs. He bowled well within himself but appeared to be no suffering no lingering effects from recent troubles with his shoulder.

After a pre-season campaign that has also seen them defeat sides from the Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy and South Australia, the Tigers' ING Cup season opens on Sunday when they meet New South Wales at the Bankstown Oval.