Strano, Villani set to debut as Tigers seek first WNCL title

Tasmania coach Salliann Beams hopes gun recruits Elyse Villani and Molly Strano will be the missing pieces of the puzzle, as the Tigers hunt their first piece of silverware in the Women's National Cricket League.

Villani and Strano, who both moved from Victoria to take up Tasmania contracts during the winter, will make their long-awaited debuts for the state on Friday at Blundstone Arena, after the original season start in September was postponed due to border closures.

Beams said the pair had already made a significant impression in their time training with the squad throughout the preseason.

"Molly's a bit of a character, but I think she's undervalued from how serious she treats her cricket as well ... she might be known as a bit of a joker, but she certainly makes sure she's serious and on task when it needs to be," Beams told cricket.com.au this week.

"And I think she's led and not been a passenger in that area, making sure that when we are training, it's purposeful, and we're on task.

"She brings is that seniority, (because) she's played for successful teams, winning teams and that's what we're trying to do at Tassie.

 

"We're ever improving, but we still want to make sure we're winners and bringing back silverware, so having leaders in that area, from both Molly and Junior (Villani), naturally does that. That's probably been the missing piece that we've wanted in our environment."

Tasmania also recruited 18-year-old fast bowling allrounder Hayley Silver-Holmes from NSW for this season, but the talented teen will miss the opening two matches as she recovers from a hip injury – although Beams said she is expected to play the six remaining matches.

Leg-spinner Maisy Gibson is set to make a long-awaited return from an ACL injury, and will play her first elite matches since the end of the 2019-20 WNCL season, but Beams said there were injury clouds over experienced batter Corinne Hall, who is carrying a calf niggle, and quick Belinda Vakarewa due to a shin issue.

Tasmania will hope to get their season off to a winning start with back-to-back matches against reigning champions Queensland this Friday and Sunday.

Their next matches are currently scheduled for January – a double-header against Western Australia – but the likelihood WA will impose restrictions on Tasmanians shortly after their border opens to the remainder of the country on December 15 has Beams resigned to the possibility their next matches may not come until mid-February.

"It'll be an incredibly tough contest," Beams said. "They are a great team and a team that I really enjoy watching play, they're quite an aggressive group.

"They've got a good balance and a top order between their right- and left-handers and have got some young guns coming through with the likes of Georgia Voll.

"But if we want to win silverware, we've got to beat the best teams."

Tasmania contract list

Chloe Abel, Nicola Carey*, Maisy Gibson, Heather Graham, Corinne Hall, Emma Manix-Geeves, Sasha Moloney, Rachel Priest, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Amy Smith, Emily Smith, Naomi Stalenberg, Molly Strano, Emma Thompson (maternity leave 2021-22), Belinda Vakarewa, Elyse Villani

In: Hayley Silver-Holmes, Elyse Villani, Molly Strano

Out: Brooke Hepburn (retired), Samantha Bates (VIC), Meg Phillips

* Denotes CA contracted player

Last year's result

Third (four wins, three losses, one tie)

Fixtures:

December 17 v Queensland, Blundstone Arena

December 19 v Queensland, Blundstone Arena

January 7 v Western Australia, Blundstone Arena

January 9 v Western Australia, Blundstone Arena

February 14 v New South Wales, North Sydney Oval

February 19 v ACT Meteors, EPC Solar Park, Canberra

February 24 v South Australia, Karen Rolton Oval

February 27 v Victoria, Shepley Oval, Dandenong

The inside word with head coach Salliann Beams

The pre-season

"It was a good (preseason), we've not had (to deal with) the ever-changing circumstances with COVID so it was pretty good.

"We've got a marquee in Tassie, which enables the girls to get on turf at least three times a week, and our bowlers are not running in on the hard indoor surfaces, and we can do bat v ball sessions."

Young guns to watch

"(Leg-spinner) Amy Smith is always been the key one. I know she's been around for two years now but she's only just turned 17.

"We've got so many spinners with Molly coming in and Maisie back to full fitness, but for me that will just drive Amy to want to get better and better.

"I was really excited to see Hayley, because she looks incredible with a new ball … but we'll hopefully see her play six games and play more of a role and she has previously at different teams."

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes v England

Jan 27-30: Test match, Manuka Oval

Feb 4: First T20, North Sydney Oval

Feb 6: Second T20, North Sydney Oval

Feb 10: Third T20, Adelaide Oval

Feb 13: First ODI, Adelaide Oval

Feb 16: Second ODI, Junction Oval

Feb 19: Third ODI, Junction Oval