Fierce spells deliver Southern comfort
SOUTHERN Districts skipper Kierran Voelkl spent a pleasant day at Fred’s Pass while his Darwin Premier Grade cricket champions moved into third gear.
A giant 177-run win over close neighbours Palmerston has lifted the Crocodiles to top position on the ladder after an unbeaten six-game start. A masterly 90 with the bat by young gun Dean Fry and fiery displays by opening bowlers Michael Ninneman (6-37) and Corey Kelly (4-25) left Voelkl with nothing more than to direct traffic.
“Everything worked well. The ball was moving around and finding gaps in the batsmen’s defences in what was a pretty good day of cricket for us,’’ Voelkl said.
“Everything’s starting to find its place now after a little bit of a struggle with the bat early in the season and the bowling has always been great.’’
Darwin captain Luke Shelton decided to lead his side down victory lane by hitting nine boundaries and two sixes in his 70 runs, an innings that lifted his Eagles to 214 all out in their match against Tracy Village at Kahlin Oval.
Village skipper Coby Edmondstone’s 42 and a quickfire 43 from Waseem Akram (three boundaries and three sixes) was never going to be enough in a run chase that fell 61 runs short.
Another captain with a post-match grin at the DXC Arena at Marrara was PINT’s skipper Tim Garner.
His Greens chased down Nightcliff’s 5-223 with 10 balls to spare, opener Josh Neill’s patient 89 and Garner’s unbeaten 59 from 64 balls playing major roles.
That win means the perennial Premier Grade semifinalists move to fifth on the ladder, a more appetising position than the last place they have filled in recent weeks.