Bosisto aiming to repeat epic upset

The challenge of taking on the country’s best during this year’s Matador BBQs One-Day Cup is a challenge the Cricket Australia XI will embrace head-on over the coming weeks, skipper Will Bosisto says.

After a narrow defeat to Queensland in their opening fixture, the CA XI will take on Tasmania on Wednesday at Allan Border Field in Brisbane.

Bosisto, fresh from 86 in the tournament opener, said his side wouldn’t be taking a backwards step.

"We obviously rate our chances against all the states," Bosisto said on Wednesday.

"We see Tasmania as another side we can really push and if we play at our best, we see no reason why we can’t get our first win on the board against them.

"We had a good win against them last year as the CA XI , so hopefully we can go 2-0 against Tassie."

The CA XI has now been together for a week, with emerging players from across the country coming together to play in Australia’s domestic 50-over competition.

Bosisto said the side had put a focus on getting to know what makes each player tick.

"As a Cricket Australia XI, you’re guys from all different states and you come together and try to get to know each other as quickly as you can and get to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses," he said.

"A lot of the last week has just been about getting to know how each other plays on the field and also getting to know each other of the field, because I think that helps massively as well." 

There were plenty of positives to take out of the performance against Queensland, including a century to List A debutant Ryan Gibson. But there were also plenty of areas to improve, and Bosisto said that would be the focus against Tasmania and in the coming weeks.

"For a lot of the guys that was their first taste of List A cricket. There were a few nervous boys, as we’d expect," he said.

"It probably took a little while to get into the game, particularly from a bowling side of things. 

"From a batting perspective we had some good partnerships and we got a pretty competitive score on the board. It was a good start - it would have been nice to start with a win - but our fielding let us down a bit.

"From a bowling perspective, we’re looking for our guys to hit their marks right from the first ball… We probably gave a few of the Queensland batsmen last game a few freebies early on that sort of kick-started their innings and got them off to a bit of a flyer.

"We’ll be looking to be right on the money from the first ball and put them (Tasmania) under the pump."