Cricket Tasmania Drops Tim Paine From Contracted Players List For 2022-23 Summer

Cricket Tasmania has decided not to hand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Paine a contract for the upcoming season 2022-23.

Paine has been on mental health leave since November last year in the aftermath of the sexting scandal, in which he sent explicit messages to a former Cricket Tasmania co-worker.

The incident also forced Paine to step down from the Australian team’s Test captaincy role just a month before the Ashes. It has been more than a year since Paine played a competitive game with his last appearance for Tasmania being made on April 6, 2021.

Tim Paine’s absence from cricket forced Cricket Tasmania to not give him a contract

According to a Fox Sports report, a spokesperson (in Cricket Tasmania) told News Corp that because Paine remained on leave in the wake of the saga, he was not considered for a deal with his state.

However, the 37-year-old will be available for team selection but won’t be offered any contract as Tasmania’s quotas are full.

Senior players like Peter Siddle and Matthew Wade were part of the list of Cricket Tasmania contracted players. Siddle, who retired from international cricket in December 2019, is likely to play professional cricket for one more year.

There is a good mix of senior and emerging players within the list: Jeff Vaughan

Tasmanian Tigers head coach Jeff Vaughan said the team has a blend of senior and young players and seemed confident in a promising season.

“There is a good mix of senior and emerging players within the list, and on the back of a promising season 2021-22, we are excited for what’s ahead,” Vaughan said, as reported by Fox Sports.

“With hopefully a full fixture of both red and white-ball cricket this year, I’m really excited and confident about what this group can produce,” he added. 

Earlier Cricket Tasmania had offered Paine a coaching role. The player hasn’t responded to anything on it.

Also Read: Cricket Tasmania Opens Door For Tim Paine For Coaching Role

Cricket Tasmania contracted players for 2022-23 summer: Tom Andrews, Gabe Bell, Jackson Bird, Iain Carlisle, Nick Davis (rookie), Jake Doran, Nathan Ellis, Jarrod Freeman (rookie), Brad Hope, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Mitch Owen (rookie), Nivethan Radhakrishnan (rookie), Sam Rainbird, Peter Siddle, Jordan Silk, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Charlie Wakim, Tim Ward, Beau Webster, Mac Wright.