BIG BASH LEAGUE Agar stars in Alice as Adelaide Strikers scorched by Perth

Alice Springs turned up the temperature and the men and women stars of Twenty20 returned the favour in great style

I MPRESSIVE numbers turned out for the Big Bash games in Alice Springs yesterday, with the Adelaide Strikers’ women’s team taking out the first game of the day.

This was much to the delight of local Strikers fan Anthony Geppa, who also captains one of the local cricket teams.

“It’s really exciting, it’s really high quality, and really entertaining cricket,” he said.

“It’s great to see a local girl playing, too. I used to play against Tabatha [Saville], so it’s cool to see her go on to bigger and better things.”

Strikers fanatic Graeme Cheetham said his attendance at the game was convenient timing.

“We moved to Alice Springs two days ago and we’ve come here just in time for the Big Bash,” he said.

“The ground here is great, it’s a lot more personable than the Adelaide Oval is. You’re a lot closer to the action.”

In addition to a strong local presence, there were plenty of interstate visitors, including one man from Perth known only as “Choombies”.

The Scorchers super fan stood out in the mostly blue crowd, wearing an orange tiger-print suit, a Perth jersey, an orange hat and his face and beard covered in orange paint.

“It’s my first time in the Territory and my first time in Alice Springs and I think it’s amazing,” he said.

“It’s a pleasure and an honour to be here.”

The crowd of around 3000 sweated through the day, soaking up the characteristically jovial atmosphere short-form cricket is known for.

The biggest complaints of the event were a lack of shading and poor access to the bar, something that Matthew Porter was not happy about.

“Sitting here in the very hot sun looking over at the halfempty grandstand is a bit of a strange situation,” he said.

“There’s also a 40-minute line for the bar, which is the only place you can get cold water.”

Some punters took the drinks issue into their own hands, with reports that a carton of beer was stolen from behind the bar on the western side of the ground.

NT Cricket regional cricket officer Matt Henderson said more shade was planned, however mother nature had other plans.

“In Friday’s storm, a third of the LED fencing was blown over and all the shade sails were knocked over,” he said.

“It was a massive effort by everyone who’s been at the ground to put everything back together.”

Although the Strikers s ended up losing the men’s s game, it’s safe to say they y gained a few more fans in Alice e Springs.