HOBART, Nov 21 AAP - New South Wales captain Simon Katich is hoping for his first big score for his new team while Tasmanian skipper Jamie Cox simply wants a big score from someone when the two meet in the Pura Cup cricket match starting here tomorrow.

Apart from an unexpected outright loss to South Australia at the SCG last Sunday, NSW has had a good start to the domestic season, trailing Pura Cup leaders Victoria and the Redbacks by just two points after two outright wins from four matches.

But Katich said he hoped that 27-run loss to the Redbacks would be a good wake-up call for his team.

The classy lefthanded batsman would also be looking for a catalyst for his own form.

Katich averages 48.24 from 78 first class games, amassing more than 5,500 runs but since moving from Western Australia this season, times have been tough.

Katich is yet to make a big score for the Blues despite being tipped as a future Test batsman.

"I'm not disappointed with the way I'm hitting them, but I'm disappointed I haven't converted," he said.

In his Warrior days, he regularly plundered the Tasmanian attack on Bellerive Oval.

But he expected batting to be harder in this match.

"Bellerive isn't the same batters' paradise it used to be," he said.

While NSW has made a strong start to the season, Tasmania, a finalist last season, is pointless after three away losses -- including one to the Blues when Brett Lee, fired up after being dropped for the first Ashes Test, took 10 wickets for the match.

The Tigers can at least be grateful that Lee is in Adelaide as Australia's 12th man rather than Hobart this week.

Cox said he'd been trying to figure out for 15 years why Tasmania always made poor starts to the season.

"I'd like to have more to show at this stage, but we haven't deserved more," he said.

"We haven't been dreadful, but we haven't had anyone make a big score or be a multiple wicket taker."

Katich was kinder to the Tigers.

"They've had a slow start to the season and had less cricket than the NSW players," he said.

"Cricket is a confidence game. When you haven't been playing a lot or getting the results you want, then it's tough."

Teams (12th men to be named tomorrow morning)

NSW: Simon Katich (c), Matthew Phelps, Michael Slater, Corey Richards, Michael Bevan, Michael Clarke, Mark Waugh, Brad Haddin, Stuart MacGill, Don Nash, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark.

Tasmania: Jamie Cox (c), Sean Clingeleffer, Michael Dighton, Michael Di Venuto, Xavier Doherty, Adam Griffith, Shane Jurgensen, Scott Kremerskothen, Dan Marsh, Scott Mason, Shane Watson, Damien Wright.

© 2002 AAP

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.