Matthew Kuhnemann, the 27-year-old left-arm finger spinner, has joined Tasmania in a bid to secure regular red-ball game time ahead of Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka next summer. Kuhnemann, who has played three Tests for Australia, was overlooked by his home state Queensland last season and has made the move south to become Tasmania’s No.1 Shield spinner.
Kuhnemann has 20 first-class matches under his belt and impressed during his three Tests in India earlier this year, taking 5 for 16 in his second Test to help Australia beat the hosts at Indore. He will be eyeing a spot in Australia’s Test squad for their tour of Sri Lanka in February, after a summer series on home soil against India.
Kuhnemann’s move to Tasmania is a significant boost for the Tigers, who lost to Western Australia in March’s Sheffield Shield final. Jarrod Freeman was their first-choice spinner last season, but Kuhnemann’s experience and quality will provide Tasmania with a different option.
Kuhnemann will also be available for 50-over selection for Tasmania and remains contracted to the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League. Tasmania’s high-performance manager Salliann Beams said: “We are excited to have a player of Matt’s calibre join the Tigers and believe he will play a key role for us in the white-ball format of the game.”
In addition to Kuhnemann, Tasmania has also signed 22-year-old Queensland quick Will Prestwidge, who played two one-day games for the Bulls across three summers. These signings will bolster Tasmania’s squad and give them a strong chance of challenging for silverware in the upcoming season.
