Faulkner destined for Test cricket: Marsh

Tasmania coach Dan Marsh hopes to see his allrounder James Faulkner included in the Australian Test squad to tour Bangladesh in October.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Tigers’ pre-season Tour, Marsh said the 25-year old is “destined to play Test cricket” and would be a great addition to the national side that has just relinquished the Ashes in England.

"I think James Faulkner should be in that team," Marsh said. "I think from what he has done on the big stage he is destined to play Test cricket so for me, where the Australian team is at, I would like to see him be thrust into playing Test cricket.

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"I know every time he's playing International cricket he has been an absolute star and I can't see any different for that in Test cricket, so I would really like to see him force his way into the team.

"I know he is currently suspended but I just think he is good enough to play Test cricket and I would like to see him do that."

Faulkner and fellow national rep George Bailey are the only two Tigers who will not make the trip to Queensland on Friday for the Tigers’ pre-season tour, during which they will play a series of one-day matches against WA and Victoria ahead of October's Matador One-Day Cup.

Faulkner was disciplined by Cricket Australia last month after being charged with a drink driving offence in England, where he is currently plying his trade with Lancashire.

The 44-time ODI representative has also played one Test, taking six wickets in the drawn fifth Ashes Test of 2013.

Though he is only 25, the left-arm quick and powerful lower-order batsman will be one of Tasmania’s most experience players this summer.

The Tigers will have the services of exciting youngsters Jake Doran and Caleb Jewell on their interstate tour, who arrived back in Tasmania today after the Australian U19 tour of England.

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The two were star performers in the Australian team and led the way with the bat with some match winning innings.

"Jake's had a great Under 19s tour, as has Caleb," Marsh said. "Those two have been standouts alongside Fletcher Seymour (Tasmanian U19s), who has also taken his opportunity over there so it's great to see three young guys in our program do well on the big stage."

After a disappointing 2014-15 season Marsh said his squad is well prepared going into the 2015-16 summer after a solid pre-season in Tasmania.

"We have had our fitness testing results back this week and they have been really encouraging – we asked for personal bests in all our testing across our board and we are almost there so that’s a really big achievement from a physical point of view.

"Skill-wise we are in a good place and have been doing a lot in the nets and game scenarios but we are looking forward to getting away and playing against some really good one-day sides."

Jordan Silk was today added to the Tigers leadership team as deputy vice-captain, with the 23-year-old joining Bailey (captain), Alex Doolan (vice-captain) and Xavier Doherty (deputy vice-captain) as the leaders at the Tigers for the season.

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Doolan will captain the side in Bailey's absence during the pre-season tour.

"We recognised Jordan as a leader, and he had some experience last year in the Matador Cup, when Xavier got called up into the Australian squad," Marsh said.

"We like what he has to offer in terms of his leadership, we see him as real leader in this group.

"For me it's about developing our young leaders and having a bit of a succession plan; we know George and Xavier are not getting any younger so we need to have some plans in place."

Silk said joining the leadership group was exciting and not something he expected to happen so early in his career.

"I have been really lucky that Tasmania has really pushed that (a leadership role) with me and have had me doing courses on leadership," Silk said.

"It's exciting having had a taste of it in the one-day competition last year and in this pre-season too.

"To be able to learn off people like George, ‘Dools’ and ‘Dohey’ has gone a long way to helping and I'm really looking forward to the opportunity."

This article first appeared on crickettas.com.au