No doubt there has been plenty of soul-searching inside the Tasmanian camp following Queensland's dominant Bupa Sheffield Shield win last weekend.
But actions will speak louder than words when the two teams return to Blundstone Arena for Wednesday's clutch Ryobi Cup encounter.
The Tigers will be viewing this contest as a 'mini final' given they've won just once in their first three outings, but Queensland also desperately needs a victory having failed to open their account so far this season.
Both teams have been soundly beaten by reigning champions South Australia in recent weeks and given the punishing nature of Tasmania's Shield loss to Queensland on Sunday, just finding a way to climb up off the canvas may be a challenge for the home side.
Coach Tim Coyle berated his players in the wake of the innings-and-123-run Shield loss and no doubt the Tigers have been challenged to end a worrying form slump with an improved batting performance and more discipline with the ball.
Such has been their poor run with the willow that they haven't passed 200 in their past five innings (Shield and Ryobi Cup combined) and Coyle admitted to being worried by his side's inability to build pressure with the ball, a trait which helped them to Shield and Ryobi Cup finals in the 2011-12 season.
The Bulls on the other hand will enter this match feeling rejuvenated after consecutive outright Shield victories over New South Wales and Tasmania and with a host of players in top form.
Usman Khawaja looms as the Bulls' most dangerous batsman and will likely open the innings, but he'll find plenty of support from Joe Burns and former Australian limited-overs representative Peter Forrest who will be determined to turn his season around in Hobart.
Burns has hammered half-centuries in his previous two Ryobi Cup outings and while Forrest hasn't made nearly as many runs as he would like, his last limited overs match in Hobart was for Australia against Sri Lanka and reaped a maiden international ton.
The Blundstone Arena pitch won't be anywhere near as conducive to seam bowling as was the deck used for the weekend's Shield match and given a slick outfield, a score in excess of 250 should be achievable for the side batting first.
The Tigers have named one-day specialist Jason Krejza and in-form opener Jon Wells while former Victorian Andrew Fekete has been selected in the squad and offers depth with both bat and ball.
Young top-order batsman Chris Lynn made 98 in Queensland's last Ryobi Cup match in Hobart and has been brought in to bolster the Bulls' batting while Jason Floros, Alister McDermott and Scott Walter have also been selected.
McDermott and Walter will likely battle it out for the fast bowling spot and if it's Walter who gets the nod it will be the left-armer's first Ryobi Cup appearance for more than two years.
First Posted 13 November, 2012 5:24PM AEST
