Travelling to Queensland for their annual Pre-Season tour, the Tasmanian Tigers female program played in four matches across a week on the Sunshine Coast.
A large portion of the Tigers squad was already in Queensland before the tour, having played in the Queensland Premier League’s KFC T20 Max, where Elyse Villani and Hayley Silver-Holmes won the competition as part of Wynnum-Manly’s side.
Their first match of the pre-season tour was against their host Queensland, where the Tasmanian bowlers bowled the Maroons out for the low total of 123.
Ava Curtis, in her professional game since being signed as a Tasmanian Tigers Rookie, took two wickets along with Lauren Smith and new signing Courtney Sippel also taking two apiece.
Chasing 124 to win, the Tigers never seemed phased as Rachel Trenaman’s good form continued from her matches for Australia ‘A’ during the off-season, scoring 34, and Captain Elyse Villani scored 31 as they chased down the total with six wickets to spare.
Playing against Victoria and former teammate Molly Strano in their second game, batting first, the Tigers would go on to score 230 from their 50 overs, with Rachel Trenaman peeling off another hundred, sending a statement to the rest of the WNCL.
Despite taking eight of Victoria’s wickets, Tasmania’s score proved to be not large enough, as they chased down the Tigers' total with 13 overs to spare.
Last season’s Veronica Pyke medallist, Maisy Gibson, took three wickets, while Lauren Smith continued her good form with the ball, taking 2/39.
In their only T20 match of the tour, the Tigers defeated South Australia by 10 runs with Trenaman again scoring 50 runs, before Nic Carey, fresh off her win in the UK Hundred, took 3/14 from her four overs, restricting the SACA’s to 7/129.
Tasmania’s final game was against New South Wales, where they batted first and only scored 190 runs from the 45.1 overs before being bowled out, as Nic Carey top-scored with the bat, totalling 63 runs.
NSW had no issues during their chase, as they sped past Tasmania’s target with 21.1 overs remaining, Maisy Gibson the pick of the bowlers with 2/40.
Full scorecards to Tasmania’s pre-season tour can be found here: https://www.playhq.com/cricket-australia/org/cricket-australia-state-competitions/trial-matches-summer-202526/trial-matches/a6051302/R1
Their first match of the WNCL 2025-26 Season is on September 26 against South Australia, as Tasmania begins its quest for the Ruth Preddy Trophy once again.
Queensland vs Tasmania – 50-Over Match
Queensland: 123 (27.5 Overs)
Lauren Smith 2/17, Ava Curtis 2/22, Courtney Sippel 2/25
Tasmania: 4/124 (24.1 Overs)
Rachel Trenaman 34, Elyse Villani 31
Victoria vs Tasmania – 50-Over Match
Tasmania: 9/230 (50 Overs)
Rachel Trenaman 107, Ruth Johnston 29, Emma Manix-Geeves 28
Victoria: 8/321 (37 Overs)
Maisy Gibson 3/73, Lauren Smith 2/39
Tasmania vs South Australia – T20 Match
Tasmania: 7/139 (20 Overs)
Rachel Trenaman 50 (45), Elyse Villani 28 (22)
South Australia: 7/129 (20 Overs)
Nic Carey 3/14, Lauren Smith 2/18
New South Wales vs Tasmania – 50-Over Match
Tasmania: 190 (45.1 Overs)
Nic Carey 63, Ruth Johnston 26, Naomi Stalenberg 25
NSW: 4/193 (28.5 Overs)
Maisy Gibson 2/40