Tasmania University Cricket Club

Latest News (12th. June 2006)

Two big losses to banking and bricklaying.......

For the time being Ben Hilfenhaus will be laying down the trowel and Tim Paine won't be dwelling on transactions. Bricklaying and banking's loss is cricket's gain as Hilfy and Julio have won full contracts with the Tasmanian Cricket Association for the 2006/2007 season.

The two young Lions, who both held rookie contracts last season, will play large roles with the Tigers next season. Both players have worked extremely hard and thoroughly deserve their full contracts. Tim and Ben are both at the Centre of Excellence at the moment, although Tim will be returning to Tassie shortly for a short break as he has injured a thumb, and have proven themselves to be the fittest cricketers at the Centre. This is no mean feat given the company they are keeping!

Tim has played for University from a very early age when he joined our Under 13 vacation team as a 10 year old. He has progressed through our junior development programme and represented Tasmania at Under 15, Under 17 and Under 19 levels. He made his maiden first grade century against North Hobart at the T.C.A. Ground in the 2000/2001 season at the tender age of 16. He was selected for the Australian Under 15 team in 1998/1999, the Australian Under 17 team in 2000/2001 and captained the Australian Under 19 team at the Under 19 World Cup in 2004.

Last season Tim was appointed captain of our first grade team when Brad Thomas stood down halfway through the season. He also made his debut for the Tasmanian Tigers in both forms of the game and made his maiden century in the ING Cup competition against New South Wales.

Ben was recruited to University from the Ulverstone Cricket Club for the 2002/2003 season. It was immediately obvious to everyone at the club that we had recruited very wisely. Right from the start Hilfy showed that he was an extremely fit athlete blessed with enormous stamina and could return for third, fourth and fifth spells without losing any venom from his bowling. More importantly he had the ability to swing the ball late and at good pace with his smooth and metronomic action. We all knew that this weapon could take him a long way if he had the necessary desire to match the ability.

In Hilfy's first season at Uni he took 28 wickets at 24.79, in the 2003/2004 season he took 34 wickets at 19.62 and in the 2004/2005 season he took 31 wickets at 14.77. The T.C.A. soon recognised his talent and awarded him a rookie contract for the 2005/2006 season. He made his debut for Tasmania early last season and never looked back. He claimed 39 scalps in his debut season - a record for Tasmania - and was whisked off to the Centre of Excellence for the off-season.

The Australian selectors have also been keeping a close eye on Hilfy and recently he was named in the Australian A squad for the Top End Series starting in late June.

Let's hope that with a stroke of luck and a large dose of application Julio and Hilfy will one day be the first wearers of a baggy green from the University Lions and the trowel and transaction books will lay idle for quite some time - about a career's worth of time would be a good start!


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