Triffitt joins the Warriors

The Western Australian Cricket Association has announced former Tasmanian and Australian Under 19 wicket-keeper Tom Triffitt will join the Warriors for the next two seasons.

Triffitt, 21, has been a member of the Tigers’ rookie list and senior squad for the past three years and played in Australia’s victorious ICC Under 19 World Cup campaign in 2010, where he was skippered by Warriors all-rounder Mitchell Marsh.

The hand injury suffered by first choice Tasmanian wicket-keeper Tim Paine opened the door for Triffitt to play ten first class and eight one-day matches for the Tigers, including the successful 2010-11 Sheffield Shield final against New South Wales.

Triffitt says the opportunity to push for a regular berth with the Warriors in first class and one-day cricket was too good to pass up.

“I will always be grateful for the chance that Cricket Tasmania gave me to play at interstate level in the last three years, but with Tim Paine coming back from injury I have had the opportunity to move west and I am looking forward to a long career with the Warriors,” he said.

“It is sad to leave my home state but I can’t wait to get over to Perth. I have a few friends in the Warriors such as Mitch Marsh, Tom Beaton and Travis Birt, who I all played with, and I also look forward to getting to know the other guys in the squad and hopefully enjoy some success.”

Warriors Head Coach Lachlan Stevens says Triffitt brings a great deal of experience despite his youth.

“Tom has been part of a really successful program in Tasmania and has played in two Sheffield Shield finals, so not only does he bring youthful exuberance, he also brings big game knowledge and we know that will help our group,” he said.

“He was one of the successes of the Australian team that won the Under 19 World Cup, and we are starting to assemble a few of those key players in our squad. That core group of young talent will complement the experienced personnel we have.

“We see Tom adding a bit of assuredness to our middle and lower order. We weren’t as dominant at six and seven as we wanted to be last season, and there was a burden left to eight and nine. Hopefully Tom will help to ease that.

“It is exciting to have three young wicket-keepers on board with Tom joining Sam Whiteman and Cameron Bancroft. All three have a role to play and it should create healthy competition within the group, which can only be a positive for Western Australia.”

The Warriors’ full contract list, including rookie squad members, will be finalised in the coming days.

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