Spin dominates day’s play with Hawkins the hero

SPIN bowling took centre stage on day one of Darwin district cricket matches.

Darwin’s left-arm finger spinner Connor Hawkins’ 6/32 were the best figures on a day where most of the batsmen struggled for runs.

There were exceptions, including a brilliant century by Nightcliff import Jay Lenton.

Sydney Thunder’s Big Bash League wicketkeeper-bat blasted an unbeaten 105 from 78 balls at Tracy Village Oval.

Lenton’s opening partnership with Matt Spoors has the Tigers poised to pounce on the Villagers’ 171 first innings.

Nightcliff skipper Udara Weerasinghe grabbed his 14th wicket in the past three matches as Tracy lost its last nine wickets for 126 runs.

“This is a game we have to win if we want to play in the finals,” Weerasinghe said.

“It’s pretty crowded between fourth and sixth on the ladder, which makes it even more important we continue to move in the right direction.”

Second-placed PINT will be kicking themselves after a batting collapse saw them lose 9-92 against reigning premiers Palmerston at Cazalys Oval.

Opener Josh Neill did his job with a well-compiled 46.

But only tailender Quinn Childs (33) and skipper Tim Garner (24) went past 20 runs after Neill was the fifth man out at 102.

Three batsmen failed to score as the Palmerston slow men got to work, leg spinner Kyle Gardiner and left-arm finger spinner Jayden Lennox grabbing three wickets each.

There were some frowns among the Power hierarchy when Kieran Toner and Rob Vandermeulen were dismissed with six runs on the board.

But Alex Bleakley (59no) and a patient Hamish Martin (18no) lifted the score to 2/83 when stumps were drawn.

Beau Webster (52no) and Harry Chamberlain (49no) have put Darwin in control of their match against Waratah.

Webster grabbed four wickets with his off-spin to help Hawkins destroy the Tahs’ batting after James Seymour and Isaac Conway looked to have laid the foundations for a big first-innings score.