Strike alight after Mavericks crash and burn

A LATE flurry of wickets, a freakish runout and an unlikely injury led to the NT Strike getting their SACA Redbacks League Cup campaign off to a winning start at the Marrara Cricket Ground.

The Strike’s 8-278 looked in trouble of being run down against the Northern Mavericks when the visitors were 2-184 after 33 overs.

But then the Mavericks crumbled to lose 7-80.

The South Australian team’s collapse started due to a brilliant piece of fielding from Joel Logan, firing in a throw from the boundary to have Blake Gutsche run out.

The Mavericks’ cause was not helped when Conor McInerney was forced to retire hurt with severe cramps.

McInerney was looking dangerous with 64 from 84 balls before he had to abandon his innings, and he was not well enough to return later.

Harry Nielsen (80 from 92) and Austin Umpherston (13 from 19) then both fell with the score on 223 with five batsmen dismissed.

The last four wickets then fell for 41 runs, the visitors finishing 9-264 and falling 14 runs short.

All-rounder Luke Robins – who plays first grade in Adelaide for East Torrens – starred for the Strike.

He made 56 from as many deliveries and took 4-49 from 8.5 overs after opening the bowling.

Logan and Stefan Hook (both 2-49) also performed with the ball, while Strike captain Ben Wakim made 44 from 49.

“It was one of those days where everyone got enough done,” Robins said.

”We had to be really careful early because we were in a bit of trouble (at 2-54 after batting first).

“It was a case of rotating the strike when we could with Bleaks (Alex Bleakley who made 36 off 55) and Chappy (Zac Chapman who made an unbeaten 37 off 27) and knowing the boundaries would come later.”

A modest Robins said he got a little lucky with the ball.

“I was lucky enough to come in and bowl when it got a bit hard for them at the end,” he said.

Meanwhile, there was a touch of controversy in the Papua New Guinea v Southern Force match at Marrara No.2, with Vani Morea given out obstructing the field after picking up the ball.

That did not have a massive bearing on the match though, with PNG winning by six wickets.

And Western Grit beat Eastern Edge in Adelaide.

The Strike take on the Southern Force at the Marrara Cricket Ground today.