A lean and mean Ben McDermott has been hailed as Tasmania's secret weapon as they seek their first piece of silverware in five years in this week's one day cup final.
After a few nervous moments in their run chase, skipper George Bailey (70no) and Simon Milenko (57no) eventually guided the Tigers to a six-wicket semi-final victory over a lacklustre Queensland in Sydney on Saturday.
They will now meet the winner of Sunday's semi between Victoria and Western Australia in Wednesday's final at Melbourne's Junction Oval.
And McDermott is shaping as vital to their chances just days after he was named as a shock selection in the Australian T20 squad for their series against Pakistan in the UAE starting on October 24.
McDermott, the 23-year-old son of Australian fast-bowling great Craig, forced his way into the side after his sparkling domestic 50-over tournament with the bat.
While he made just a modest 14 against the Bulls, the Brisbane-born right-hander has piled on two centuries and two half centuries from six innings this tournament at an average of 91.39.
Bailey said McDermott had come back from a stint playing county cricket in England and the Global T20 in Canada having shed nine kilograms and his dedication to his craft was paying off.
"He just looks so sharp from the first ball he faces at the moment," Bailey said.
"I can't speak highly enough of him.
"He went away in the off-season to play in England and he came back and he had lost eight or nine kilos which is a phenomenal effort playing club cricket in England and a few T20s in Canada.
"He's just so hungry to succeed. He works as hard as any young player, he's really driven."
The Tigers are chasing their first title since their 2013 Sheffield Shield victory.
During his stint with the Winnipeg Hawks in the Global T20, he spent time under the wing of suspended Australian Test opener Dave Warner.
Bailey described McDermott as one of the most impressive youngsters he had ever come across and tipped him for big things this summer.
"He's sacrificed and he's driven to succeed - it's one of the things we've always really admired about him since he was an 18-year-old when he came down," Bailey said.
"And he's still so young. That knowledge and confidence in your game is pretty awe-inspiring at that age."
