Dickman and Logan manage to Strike gold
BY his high standards, Jacob Dickman’s season with Premier Grade champions Darwin was average, but in a Northern Territory shirt he has been outstanding.
The 20-year-old South Australian hopeful’s classy 105 off 117 balls guided the Strike to its first win from three attempts in the 2017 SACA Redbacks League Cup.
The Territory finished 6-262, and visitors the Northern Mavericks could only manage 189 all-out in reply at Marrara.
Strike leg-spinner Joel Logan took 5-47 in the Mavericks’ chase, taking his tournament tally to 11 scalps.
Dickman only managed 255 Premier Grade runs at an average of 25.50 for Darwin, but scored a brilliant 102 for the Northern Territory Invitational XI against the Bangladesh Academy in July.
And in the Strike League, he notched up scores of 150 and 115 for the City Cyclones in both games against the Northern Tide.
“It means a lot doing it for the Territory, and probably doing it at a higher level of competition, but I can’t do it for Darwin in club cricket,”
“Out of my five wickets, two of them came from the wrong’un” NT STRIKE SPINNER JOEL LOGAN
Dickman said with a laugh.
The top-order batsman also mentioned his pre-game warm-up did not go to plan.
“I didn’t hit them well in the nets this morning and I got quite angry, so I had an aggressive mindset,” Dickman said. “But it was just about backing myself and sticking to what I know.”
The Strike’s batting was its downfall in losses to the Western Grit and Eastern Edge last weekend.
And with gun opening batsman Jake Weatherald back training with the Redbacks, Dickman relished the extra responsibility.
“I had a lot more of an opportunity this game batting at three,” he said, after coming in at four and only managing 24 and 18 in the Strike’s first two games.
“Once Weathers left I said to myself ‘it’s time to step up’ and I took it upon myself to do that, and even be a bit selfish.
“We’re very happy to turn it around from last week where we struggled to bat our 50 overs.
“That was a really consistent performance, and Logan’s five-for was great.”
On a flat deck, Logan’s dangerous variation helped him get his bag of scalps.
“Out of my five wickets, two of them came from the wrong’un,” he said.
“I felt really confident going into the tournament, and it’s the best I’ve bowled in my life.”