Cricket 365 replay: Blaze set bar with win over Cyclones in T20 Strike League opener in Darwin

A four-wicket haul from Blaze captain Tom Andrews has helped his side set the bar for the T20 Strike League.

An outstanding all-round performance from captain Tom Andrews has handed Desert Blaze the opening win in the T20 Strike League and pegged them as competition favourites.

Andrews took four wickets and scored 21 runs in the Blaze’s seven-wicket victory over the City Cyclones in a true captain’s knock.

Gold Coast product Hugo Burdon was also outstanding, guiding his side to victory in the 17th over with 52 off 46 balls after his partnership with Andrews came to an end.

WATCH THE REPLAY IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

Tom Andrews took 4-15 with his left arm spin to lead the Blaze to the win. Picture: Che Chorley

Defending a total of 126 after being bowled out in the 20th over, the Cyclones needed quick wickets if they were to put pressure on the Blaze and while both openers had departed by the end of the fourth over, they had also racked up 40 runs, with Hayden Kerr’s 23 (12 balls), setting the tone for what was to come.

Kerr’s quickfire start was followed by a steady partnership between Andrews and Burdon, with the Gold Coaster doing his chances of earning a Big Bash League contract no harm with a classy half-century.

Watch Monday’s T20 Strike League live stream here.

Strike League one-day champions, the Blaze have set the bar for the competition in the T20 opener.

Northern Tide and Southern Storm play in Monday’s match from 6.30pm (AEST), with the game streamed live on News Corp websites.

Earlier, Andrews’ haul helped the Blaze bowl the Cyclones out for 126 runs in the final over at Darwin’s DXC Arena in the first Strike League match to be held under lights.

Territory product Andrews was outstanding, taking four scalps and three catches, while former international Chris Tremain chipped in with three wickets and Hamish Martin took two.

The Blaze won the toss and decided to bowl, a good call in tricky conditions just before sunset as natural light faded and the floodlights took over.

The move paid dividends early, with the Cyclones losing both openers within the first four overs, bringing Melbourne Stars player Nick Larkin to the crease.

Nick Larkin in action for the Melbourne Stars during the Big Bash League. Photo: Getty Images

The likely lockdown extension in Victoria could rob the competition of the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades who were initially slated to play the full competition and could still join next week if Victoria’s restrictions are lifted later this week.

But Larkin beat the lockdown to arrive in the Territory ahead of the competition and took his place in the Cyclones team after completing his quarantine period just hours before the match.

Larkin was left to rebuild the innings with little support around him and played a patient knock until the 15th over when he fell for 39 (45 balls) attempting to push the pace.

His departure triggered a collapse from the Cyclones and while all-rounder Ryan McElduff finished on 22no (15), he ran out of partners in the final over when Chris Tremain picked up his third wicket to end the innings.

Rising stars to light up opening T20 Strike League clash

A fierce local derby featuring some of the rising stars of Australian cricket will open the T20 Strike League in Darwin on Sunday.

The City Cyclones and Desert Blaze will face off in the opening round at DXC Arena from 6.30pm (AEST) on Sunday in the first of 13 matches in 13 days to be live streamed on News Corp websites.

Melbourne Big Bash academy sides from the Stars and Renegades have been prevented from travelling to the top end for the opening week of competition due to that city’s latest Covid lockdown but their absence will not take the shine off the series which features some of the best up and coming talent in the country.

After winning the one-day competition already held as part of the Territory’s Cricket 365 program the Blaze go into the match as favourites but Cyclones coach Brad Murphy is confident his men are ready to hit their straps in the T20 league.

“There wasn’t much in it, you could probably play the whole competition again and get a different results,” Murphy said.

“Each team has a couple of standout players and if they have a good day, away you go.”

Chris Tremain bowling for the Blaze in the Strike League one-day competition. Picture: Glenn Campbell

The Cyclones will have to overcome a Blaze side packed with rising stars including NSW quick Chris Tremain, who picked up 10 wickets in the one-day competition, with spinners Hamish Martin and West Australian Corey Rocchiccioli adding another 21 between them.

Add to that trio the pace of all-rounder Hayden Kerr and the consistent batting of Gold Coast product Hugo Burdon, whose unbeaten century in the one-day competition put him near the top of the batting averages, and the Blaze are looking an exceptionally tough challenge on paper.

The Cyclones are not without weapons of their own though.

Chief among them is NSW all-rounder Jack Edwards, who notched a century for a Cricket Australia XI in the recent Top End Series and has tons on the board at domestic one-day and Sheffield Shield level.

“He hasn’t quite got going yet, we didn’t quite get going in that one-day series,” Murphy said of Edwards.

Desert Blaze's Gold Coast recruit Hugo Burdon works a ball through mid wicket on the way to an unbeaten century in the one-day competition. Picture: Felicity Elliott

“He scored 100 in the Marsh Cup final for NSW, so we’re relying on him with his batting at the top of the order and then opening the bowling as well with his right-arm medium pace.

“We’re hoping he really strikes gold in the T20s. In the one-dayers, he got a couple of 40s for us but hasn’t fully hit his straps but now he’s been here a couple of weeks.”

The Cyclones also boast Victorian young gun Campbell Kellaway, whose power striking in an innings of 92 from 103 balls helped the Cricket Australia XI salvage a draw form the Top End Series last week.

The Cyclones, Blaze, Northern Tide and Southern Storm will play the opening week of fixtures in the T20 Strike Series, with officials still hopeful the Stars and Renegades will join the competition from August 22.

All 13 games of the tournament will be live streamed on News Corp websites.