Francis strikes form
AN unbeaten 72 to Cameron Francis put NT Strike on top on day one against Eastern Edge in round six of the SACA Premier League at TIO Traeger Park Oval in Alice Springs yesterday.
Francis had all the shots in the book against the Edge bowlers, getting the Strike to 9-328 off 97 overs at stumps.
Half-centuries to Greg Clarence and Ben Cooper, as well as solid knocks from Brett Gardiner, Grant Bell and Ben Reichstein saw the home side in a good position as they strive to hand the Edge their first Premier League loss.
The Strike were in a spot of bother at 4-112 before Clarence ( 68) and Cooper ( 57) came together for a vital 90-run fifthwicket partnership.
It was the second of three halfcentury stands from the Strike after openers Brett Gardiner (42) and Grant Bell (34) gave their side a solid 59-run start, while Francis and Reichstein (24) put on a quickfire 67 runs late in the day.
A score of 300 plus looked unlikely when Alice Springs batsman Tom Clements (six) hit one to cover off left-arm orthodox spinner Jake Brown with the score at 8-261.
Brown (4-42) was zoning in on a five-wicket haul after changing from pace to spin midway through the day.
But in a big turn- around, boundaries were aplenty in the final 10 overs of the day as Francis and hard-hitting allrounder Reichstein attacked.
Francis bought up his 50 with a cracking on- drive in the 94th over, next ball the Strike’s 300 was up.
Reichstein was bowled in the last over of the day by left-arm paceman Nick Winter in pursuit of more quick runs.