Tim Paine made a stunning return from injury to inspire Tasmania to a thumping 63-run Twenty20 victory over Western Australia at the WACA Ground on Thursday night.
Paine, playing his first game since breaking his right index finger during a charity game last month, thumped 71 runs off 57 balls – including four sixes and two fours – to lift Tasmania to a formidable 6-189.
WA were never a chance after slumping to 4-45 in the eighth over, with Chris Gayle’s dismissal for 22 off 19 balls sparking the end for for the Warriors as they were dismissed for 126 in the 19th over in front of 14,883 fans.
Pakistan all-rounder Rana Naveed snared 3-19 for Tasmania, while Xavier Doherty (2-22 off four overs), Jason Krejza (2-24) and Dutch recruit Ryan ten Doeschate (2-3) also chipped in.
Paine was the hero of the night but it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the 26-year-old, who was left writhing in pain in the 14th over of Tasmania’s innings when he copped a painful blow to his neck from a rising Brett Dorey delivery.
It appeared Paine’s arm went numb momentarily but he batted on to post some more handy runs before a diving catch from Tom Beaton in the deep finally ended his innings.
Travis Birt (43 off 22 balls, including four sixes and two fours) combined with Paine for an 86-run, 48-ball partnership as the Tigers cruised to 2-129 after 12 overs.
Tasmania made just 60 runs in the final eight overs as WA’s bowlers hit back but the damage had already been done.
Former Victoria paceman Mick Lewis, handed a Twenty20 contract for the Warriors, finished with three wickets but was expensive in conceding 46 runs, while Dorey (1-27 off four overs) and Chris Gayle (1-28 off four) were more economical.
WA were on the backfoot from the outset with opener Shaun Marsh dismissed lbw to Krejza for a duck and Luke Ronchi (12), Luke Pomersbach (seven) and Gayle also falling cheaply.
With WA’s big hitters already back in the shed, Adam Voges (38 off 24 balls), Tom Beaton (16) and Michael Swart (18) could only add minor respectability to the scorecard.
“It’s been four or five weeks without playing, so to be back out in the middle, it’s good to get a few runs,” man-of-the-match Paine said.
Stand-in Warriors skipper Adam Voges admitted his men were outplayed in every facet.
“Obviously very disappointing, in front of a big home crowd, to not even get close to a total that I thought was maybe just a touch above par, but not by much with that short boundary,” Voges said.
“And to be 4-40, we were probably almost out of the game there and we were always chasing the game at that stage.”
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