JLT Sheffield Shield 2017-18

Two young spinners are in line to make their first-class debuts this weekend when the Tasmanian Tigers take on New South Wales at the SCG.

Jarrod Freeman and Mac Wright have been included in the Tigers’ squad which will travel to Sydney, with both players looking to make their first appearance at Sheffield Shield level.

Freeman was part of Australia’s Under 19 Cricket World Cup squad which played in New Zealand last month and played for Tasmania in the Toyota Futures League prior to Christmas, where the off-spinner took match figures of 8-133 against Western Australia which included a first-innings five-wicket haul.

Wright (pictured below) is rookie-contracted with the Tasmanian Tigers and made his List A debut with the Cricket Australia XI during the JLT One Day Cup earlier this season. He also played a tour match with a CA XI against England.

The leg-spinner has played four games with Tasmania’s Futures League side in the 2017-18 season and currently sits seventh on the wicket-taker’s list with 14 scalps at an average of 29.07.

He also played three matches at Futures League level last season which yielded nine wickets at an average of 24.78.

Hamish Kingston is the only omission from the squad, with Tasmania looking to bolster its spin-bowling stocks for the match against the Blues starting Saturday.

The Tigers currently sit second on the Sheffield Shield ladder after an innings and 87-run win over Western Australia last week.

Tasmanian Tigers Sheffield Shield squad

George BAILEY (C)

Alex DOOLAN

Jake DORAN

Andrew FEKETE

Jarrod FREEMAN

Ben MCDERMOTT

Riley MEREDITH

Simon MILENKO

Sam RAINBIRD

Tom ROGERS

Matthew WADE

Beau WEBSTER

Mac WRIGHT