Queensland coach Darren Lehmann has bluntly put his bowlers on notice ahead of the ladder leaders’ Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania beginning on Friday.
Lehmann described the Bulls’ attack as “embarrassing” in failing to defend 8-282 in the seven-wicket loss to the Tigers in Wednesday’s one-day clash at Bellerive.
Pace spearhead Ben Cutting, who has 31 Shield wickets at 16.16, struggled for rhythm to finish with 0-52 from seven overs.
Spinner Cameron Boyce took 1-75, returning skipper James Hopes 0-52 and Matthew Gale 0-76, and Lehmann said improvement was desperately needed to keep the Shield campaign on track.
“We won’t bowl that badly to those players again, ever,” Lehmann said.
“And if they do, they won’t be playing for us so it’s pretty simple.”
Only in-form youngster Alister McDermott emerged unscathed, finishing with the respectable figures of 1-26 from eight overs.
The son of former Test paceman Craig McDermott was backing up from a stunning haul of 7-24 that almost pulled off a miracle victory over Western Australia last week.
McDermott has 12 wickets at 15.42 from just two Shield matches this season.
Tigers coach Tim Coyle said he was wary of the 20-year-old.
“He bowls really good line, good length, challenges the batsman,” Coyle said.
“He’s a quality player and he’s getting some reward at the moment.”
The Bulls have bolstered their pace attack by including experienced former West Australian Steve Magoffin in a 14-man squad for the Hobart match.
Magoffin makes his return for the first time since November after being sidelined with an achilles injury.
Batsman Joe Burns, who suffered back spasms on Wednesday, has responded well to treatment and has also been named.
Queensland sit atop the Shield ladder on 30 points but are winless in either form of the game since the break for the Big Bash League.
Shield holders Tasmania are fourth on 22 points but can leapfrog Victoria (24) and WA (26) into the box seat for the final with an outright victory.
“For all teams, it’s been the challenge of picking up the pieces and getting back into your cricket after that (Big Bash) layoff,” Coyle said.
“We’ve started really well. They’ve lost a game at home which I’m sure would be disappointing.
“But they’ve got a nice buffer on the rest of the field … they’re a quality opposition.”
Tasmania’s one-day win ensured they will play a third straight final, against South Australia on February 25, but Coyle said that would not distract the Tigers from the crucial Shield match.
“I reckon last night’s already forgotten,” he said.
“That’s one of the things that we have to do and we’re very good at.”
Tasmania: George Bailey (capt), Jackson Bird, Luke Butterworth, Steve Cazzulino, Mark Cosgrove, Ed Cowan, Alex Doolan, Brendan Drew, James Faulkner, Matt Johnston, Brady Jones, Jason Krejza (12th man to be named).
Queensland: James Hopes (capt), Cameron Boyce, Ryan Broad, Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, Jason Floros, Matthew Gale, Chris Hartley, Chris Lynn, Alister McDermott, Steve Magoffin, Steve Paulsen, Andrew Robinson, Wade Townsend (two to be omitted, 12th man to be named).
