tim paine: Ex-Australia test captain Paine back in 1st-class cricket

Former Australia captain Tim Paine is playing first-class cricket for the first time since he resigned as Test captain in April 2021. To play Queensland in a four-day Sheffield Shield match at the Gabba. Tasmania lost the toss and elected to bat first, with Paine listed in the middle order.

Paine, 37, took a long break from the game but has been training with the Tasmania team and made a successful return to Hobart grade cricket last weekend.

He took an indefinite mental health break in the lead-up to the 2021 Ashes series against England after the sexting scandal became public.

Cricket Australia, which chose pacer Pat Cummins in place of Penn as Test captain, said in November last year that Paine had advised him that he would “be away from cricket for a while”.

“We recognize this is an incredibly difficult time for Tim and his family and are determined to support them,” Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said in a statement at the time.

“We respect and understand Tim’s decision to take a break at this time to focus on the well-being of himself and his family.”

Originally published at Pen 18