Paine reveals secret behind form turnaround

After enduring forgettable back-to-back Sheffield Shield seasons, Tim Paine's confidence was shot.

Paine, a staple behind the stumps for Tasmania for much of the past decade and a four-time Test player, was dropped from the Shield side last year, finishing the season with a meagre 42 runs from seven trips to the crease.

It followed a 2014-15 summer in which he'd batted 14 times in the four-day game for a top score of 41.

Quick single: Paine leads Tasmania to big victory

During his match-winning 101no at Allan Border Field today however, any such form concerns looked to have been placed firmly in the past.

The 31-year-old had two explanations for the change in fortune.

One, some technical refinements.

Two, some time with the Tigers' sports psychologist, which has help remind him of his batting gifts.

"I've felt really, really good the last few months in our practice games," he said after making his eighth List A hundred as Tasmania turned the tables on their shock defeat to the Cricket Australia XI in last year's Matador Cup with a convincing eight-wicket bonus-point win over the youngsters.

"That's been a nice change from the last couple of years so I'm planning on making it count.

"I changed a couple of things technically that I used to do way back, which I've gone back to, and I've actually done a little bit of sports psych stuff with (psychologist) Emma Harris in Tassie – she's helped me a lot.

"Obviously I lost a lot of confidence in the last two years, so it's just about reinforcing the fact that I'm still quite a good player, and if I believe that, I'll produce more often than not."

Quick single: Marsh treading untried turf

And produce, Paine did.

The Tigers skipper hit nine fours and three sixes in his 98-ball knock, one of those boundaries the match-winner over midwicket and many others creamed through point and pulled square whenever the young CA XI quicks pitched too short.

Combining with Dom Michael (83) for a 162-run stand for the second wicket, Paine built on his promising 34 last time out against Queensland and found his stride quickly, dictating the pace of the innings with the experience that 26 ODI caps provides.

Needing to reach the target of 237 inside 40 overs for a bonus point, he manoeuvred his side into a position to strike and then finished off proceedings himself.

"The bonus point was the most important thing," he said after Tasmania moved into second spot behind the Bulls on five competition points.

"We obviously set a good platform 'til the 30th over, and then decided to have a go at it, so it was nice to finish the job.

"The Cricket Australia XI beat us last year, so our first goal was to play well and hopefully win the game.

"It was a really important win for us, we thought we played really win in the first game and probably deserved to win that game, so to get a win and be on the board is great."

Paine has now scored a hundred in each of the past three Matador Cup campaigns; this time however, he'll be desperate to make his form count throughout the summer, across all formats.