Tigers great Bird returns to Tassie amid signing blitz

Jackson Bird has confirmed his return to Tasmania as the veteran paceman chases a dream Sheffield Shield title win to sign off one of the competition's greatest careers.

After two seasons with his native NSW, Tasmania announced this morning the 38-year-old had signed a one-year deal to play on into a 15th domestic season having returned to Hobart with his family.

Born in Sydney, Bird spent 12 seasons with the Tigers after being recruited as a 24-year-old in 2011 before leaving Tasmania at the end of the 2022-23.

The right-armer continued to defy age during his time with the Blues, collecting 58 wickets in 15 games and becoming just the fifth bowler in Sheffield Shield history to take 400 wickets in February.

Speaking after that match against Victoria where he finished with figures of 3-24 and 5-68 – the 20th five-wicket haul of his illustrious first-class career – Bird said the goal driving him to continue playing was to win a Sheffield Shield.

He had said the same thing in 2022 prior to leaving Tasmania after missing the state's most recent Shield triumph 2012-13 with a back injury, but he potentially wouldn't have been available anyway after breaking into the Australian Test team that summer.

Only Clarrie Grimmett (513), Queensland pair Michael Kasprowicz (441) and Andy Bichel (430), and WA's Jo Angel (419) have taken more Sheffield Shield wickets than Bird (408), with Bird's average of 22.11 the best of the lot.

"It's nice to tick off the milestones along the way; to be in that group but I guess the goal of mine now is to win a Sheffield Shield," Bird said in February.

"I've never won a Sheffield Shield, so that's more important to me at the moment and it's what's driving me to keep playing at my age."

Tasmania reached the Shield final the season after Bird left for NSW in 2023-24, going down to Western Australia by 377 runs. Bird played in two other losing finals during his 12 years with the Tigers, going down to Queensland both times (2011-12 and 2017-18).

The nine-Test quick returns for his second stint with the state as their most prolific bowler in Shield history with 350 wickets at 21.99 in 78 matches.

Bird, who will turn 39 in December, also flagged during last season that his playing schedule could look different playing on into 2025-26, like fellow evergreen quick Peter Siddle who played just half the Shield matches in his final two seasons at Victoria.

Siddle confirmed his first-class retirement at the end of last season but will continue to play T20 cricket with Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash next summer.

"As much as I want to play 10 games a year, I can't probably physically do it at my age," Bird said.

Regardless, Cricket Tasmania high performance general manager Salliann Beams said Bird's experience would be vital as they attempt to return to the Shield decider after finishing fifth last season.

"I'm so pleased we've been able to find a role for Jackson that has been mutually beneficial," Beams said.

"His talent and bowling expertise around our group once again should excite all of Tasmanian cricket.

"Our bowling stocks were tested last season through injury, and the experience of Jackson will give us another reliable option in a bowling line-up, while being able to provide his mentorship to a bowling group that has an exciting future."

Tasmania have also recruited 210cm left-armer Marcus Bean, who has signed a two-year state contract after debuting for Hobart Hurricanes last summer.

Bean was plucked from Queensland Premier Cricket club Northern Suburbs by Hurricanes assistant coach James Hopes, debuting against Brisbane Heat in KFC BBL|14 and taking the wicket of Test-capped batter Nathan McSweeney in his first over of professional cricket.

Tasmania have already blooded the 21-year-old in their Second XI side, and Beams said he was a player with a lot of potential.

"We saw during the BBL the impact that he can have with the new ball, taking a wicket in each match he played," she said.

"But I think it is just as important that we expose him to the rigours of the professional game.

"Bringing him down to Tasmania across the whole summer will give us another pace bowling option in our line-up and the ability to work with our coaches to help harness some of the raw talent he already possesses."

Experienced speedster Riley Meredith has also re-signed with Tasmania for another two seasons after a strong summer that yielded 23 Shield wickets at 25 in six games.

"To have him under contract for another two seasons is exciting for Tasmanian cricket, and I am confident he will continue to improve and play for Australia again soon," Beams added.