Tasmanian coach Tim Coyle has dismissed any suggestion his Sheffield Shield holders will be out to deliver Ricky Ponting a first title with his state in next week’s final against Queensland.
The Tigers and Bulls secured their places in the decider with day-three victories on Saturday, while Victoria fell short despite a win over NSW.
Tasmania beat Western Australia by eight wickets, Queensland thrashed South Australia by an innings and 91 runs to win hosting rights and the Bushrangers fell short on the “quotient” system used when all three finished on 36 points.
Last month’s one-day final tie with South Australia that almost delivered Ponting his first silverware with Tasmania still burns.
The former Test skipper will now get the chance to captain the Tigers to that elusive domestic title victory, but Coyle said it would not be a motivator.
“That would be the last thing he’d want and it’s the last thing I want,” Coyle said.
“It’s not about Ricky Ponting and it’s not about any individual.
“It’s about us doing this as a team and doing it for Tasmania.
“That’s the only thing that motivates.
“We set out at the start of the year to give ourselves a chance to play in finals in two competitions and we’ve achieved that.
“It was a very hard loss to take in Adelaide but, in saying that, it steeled us for the Sheffield Shield to make sure we made the final again so everything’s going to plan.”
Coyle is confident his side’s finals hardness will give them an edge at the Gabba from next Friday.
“We’ve been in four one-day finals and now three Sheffield Shield finals in the last seven years,” he said.
“We’re an experienced finals team and it’s something that people know what to expect.
“We’re in as good form as we could possibly be.”
The Bulls and Tigers are 1-1 from their two matches this summer.
Queensland thrashed Tasmania by an innings and 28 runs at the Gabba back in October, before the Tigers returned serve with an eight-wicket victory at Bellerive last month.
“(Tasmania) have been the benchmark now, along with Victoria, for the last couple of seasons,” Bulls captain James Hopes said.
“They’ve got some good players coming through and they’ve got that old bloke (Ponting) who keeps scoring hundreds, and (Ed) Cowan as well.”
