Pacemen hold the key

WHERE: Aurora Stadium, Launceston.

WHEN: Tonight from 5.15pm.

HOW MUCH: Free entry.

THE Hobart Hurricanes' brain trust has one specific area of focus heading into tonight's intraclub trial match at Aurora Stadium - death bowling.

Coach Damien Wright said with a power-packed batting line-up and two of the best slow bowlers in the country, on paper there doesn't seem to be many holes in the set-up of last year's finalists and this year's Champions League semi-finalists.

But the work of its pacemen at the end of the innings is something he is looking very closely at.

Those looking to replace the departed Ben Laughlin as the key figure with the ball at the death include Jake Reed, Timm Van Der Guten, Joe Mennie, Sam Rainbird, Evan Gulbis and Ben Hilfenhaus, and tonight is seen as being another audition for that role.

"These [intraclub] games are really important for us, and they are even more so this year, considering the quick turnover from Shield cricket straight into Twenty20, so we haven't been able to get in a lot of preparation," Wright said.

"While our batting in particular is very strong with Alex Hales, Tim Paine, Ben Dunk, George Bailey and Jon Wells, we really need someone to stand up with the ball and own those five overs for us.

"So we need to find out who is going to be 'Mr Reliable' for us in that role, but we do know it is a challenge in this form of cricket.

"It will also be the first time we play a game in Launceston and we are really excited for it."

Save for Englishman Hales, the entire Hurricanes squad will be on show at Aurora Stadium tonight, with supplementary, rookie and guest players also in action.

"It will be a really good and entertaining game of cricket, and we won't be holding back."

Wright believed Wells was leading an in-form batting line-up, that Hilfenhaus's strong Shield form would continue and Xavier Doherty and Cam Boyce would form a dangerous spin combination this summer.

"We're confident with how we are going to go, but Twenty20 cricket is one of those tough games that can see anything happen," Wright said.

Another of the players on display in Launceston tonight will be West Indian Darren Sammy, the right arm fast-medium bowler and hard-hitting lower-order batsman, who will be the squad for the first half of the competition.

"I'd encourage all of Launceston to come and watch him play, as they are entertainers the West Indians, and he's no different."

The Hurricanes yesterday confirmed Sean Willis and Ryan Lees as their two rookies, and Gabe Bell, Travis Dean and Andrew Perrin as supplementary list players.

TEAM BAILEY: Tim Paine, Ben Dunk, George Bailey (c), Travis Birt, Jon Wells, Evan Gulbis, Darren Sammy, Joe Mennie, Cameron Boyce, Timm van der Gugten, Ryan Lees.

TEAM DOHERTY:Michael Hill, Beau Webster, Sean Willis, Dom Michael, Nathan Phillip (wk- Cricket North player), Alec Smith (Tasmanian U19s), Ben Hilfenhaus, Xavier Doherty (c), Corey Murfett (Tasmanian U19s), Sam Rainbird, Jake Reed, 12th Gabe Bell.