Hot-hand Luke has Strike on verge of title
THE Northern Territory Strike have one hand on the SACA Redbacks League Cup thanks to another stunning performance from paceman Luke Robins.
Robins tore through the Northern Mavericks’ batting line-up to snare 6-41 as the hosts were bowled out for just 88 – in the 23rd over of the two-day game – in Adelaide.
The Mavericks batsmen would have had nightmares about Robins, who took 4-49 against them in the opening match of the competition three weeks ago.
Robins, who now plays in Adelaide for East Torrens, took the first three wickets yesterday for the Mavericks to be reeling at 3-36.
He has 16 scalps and is in line to take out the competition’s leading wicket-taker title.
The Strike’s reply with the bat was an emphatic one, reaching 4-260. Team leaders Ben Wakim (130 not out) and Leigh Drennan (60) led the way.
Wakim deserved his ton, with the NT captain for the one-day component of the competition registering four previous scores over 30.
Drennan, who plays club cricket for West Torrens, had a lean tournament until yesterday, but delivered when needed.
It was a major turnaround from the Strike’s 246-run first innings thrashing by Papua New Guinea in their last game, that result seeing PNG close the gap to just one point on the ladder.
But in further good news for the Strike, the Western Grit took the fight to PNG yesterday, the Grit finishing at 318 all-out.
PNG need to win that game outright to overtake the Strike in both teams’ final games of the tournament, but that is looking unlikely now.
The Grit are in third place and need a big win, followed by another big win in their last match – a one-dayer against the Southern Force in Adelaide starting next Sunday – to keep their title hopes alive.
The Strike did not come this close to winning the Redbacks League in three past attempts.
It would be a massive result for Northern Territory cricket if results go their way.