Inspiring stuff in the opening match of the Top End T20 Cup at Marrara Cricket Ground to watch Palmerston Cricket Club's D’Arcy Short dispatch his WA teammates all over the park along with The Darwin Cricket Club's Jake Weatherald, both back in the Territory colours dominating the Perth Scorchers attack. Bowling first the NT XI could have been chasing a larger total but a strong spin contingent led by Hamish Martin kept the Scorchers to under 160. His 2 for 17 off four overs with 11 dots crucial to keeping the lid on, particularly in the death overs (18th and 20th) conceding only 11 runs. Also pleasing to see was Charlie Smith hit some great areas and produce several particularly good shouts, claiming 1 for 12 off his 2. Matt Hammond the next best of the locals with 2 for 43 off 4, taking on a big roll in the power play overs. Menzies only with the single over that leaked a whole run to open the game up, hopefully no injury issues there.
Set 153 for victory, Short and Weatherald were cautious in the first over before Short hit two cracking drives off Jackson in the second. A yorker length square drive that raced to the fence followed by a stand & deliver cover drive on the up, signalling what was to come. Short unintentionally hogged the strike from there, bringing up his 50 in 22 balls. That over in particular from Declan Power saw a boundary off every ball (five fours and a six) in formidable display of hitting that saw reverse sweeps for fun, then clearing the rope off the final ball. Meanwhile Weatherald sat with 3 from 7 balls but got his chance in the following over to extend the arms, Joshua Vernon conceding 25 off his first. The 100-run partnership coming up in 7.3 overs.
Short out for 84 off 34 (11 fours, 5 sixes with two of them landing on the 13th Fairway) in the ninth over, Weatherald the following over for 29 off 21. The Scorchers thought the side might have been wobbling with a three quick dismissals but skipper Jacob Dickman then guided the side home, cautious at first with a touch of luck, he then got going and finished the game with a cracking straight drive along the carpet and then lifting a back of length ball over midwicket fence to the golf course side. Overall, a solid game of cricket from NT XI, with the four imports also putting in commendable work.
To have such an exhibition from Short and Weatherald, two of our greatest cricket products producing that on the first night is a treat for the game up here and really makes you dream of what if, what if we had a senior men’s program for more than a couple of weeks.
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