Cricket 365 live stream replay: Southern Storm v Desert Blaze in Darwin

Half centuries from the Storm’s Josh Kann and Josh Hartill have led them to a T20 Strike League win over the Blaze in Darwin. STREAM THE REPLAY HERE

Half centuries from Josh Kann and Josh Hartill have handed the Southern Storm a six-wicket win over the Desert Blaze to break the T20 Strike Series wide open.

The Blaze looked set to post a massive total when their openers raced from the blocks, scoring at nine an over in the opening power play.

But their run-rate dwindled throughout the innings as wickets fell and they only managed to set the Storm a target of 136.

LIVE STREAM: WATCH SOUTHERN STORM V DESERT BLAZE IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

The Storm’s chase started shakily when Sam Fanning fell for just one run but when Josh Hartill joined captain Josh Kann at the crease, the pair were able to steady the ship, putting on an 89-run partnership for the second wicket.

Kann played with great panache to reach 57 off 40 balls - his innings including seven fours and two sixes - but the recent Hobart Hurricanes signing will be disappointed with his dismissal after falling lbw to Hayden Kerr in the first over of the power surge when shuffling across his crease.

Hartill, who came into the Storm side after the departure of Mac Wright and Beau Webster back to Tasmania, made the most of his opportunity, anchoring the innings to finish on 56no (52).

Josh Kann in action for Southern Storm. Picture: Felicity Elliott

While he was given a life on 36 - dropped in the outfield off the bowling of former one-day international quick Chris Tremain - Hartill’s innings was generally steady, the no.3 finishing with six boundaries and a strike rate of over 107.

The victory over the previously unbeaten Blaze leaves the Strike League wide open after the Storm suffered their own loss on Sunday night to the Northern Tide.

WATCH TUESDAY’S CLASH BETWEEN THE TIDE AND CYCLONES HERE

The top two teams play off in the final on Friday night in a match live streamed on News Corp websites.

Earlier, a double breakthrough from Victorian pace bowler Brodie Symons has helped the Southern Storm rein in a rampant start from the Desert Blaze and restrict them to a manageable 135 in their T20 Strike League clash.

Storm openers Hayden Kerr (40 off 34) and Dylan Brasher (42 off 38) smashed 36 runs off the opening four overs in the power play and set the Blaze up for a massive target with 78 runs from the first 10 overs.

Brodie Symons, bowling here for Frankston in Victorian Premier Cricket, was among the Blaze’s best bowlers. Picture: David Crosling

Josh Kann has been among the best players in the league but the Storm captain was paid little respect by the Blaze openers, who took 15 runs off his first over in the power play.

But he eventually made the breakthrough, snaring Kerr in the 11th over just as the opener was looking to push the pace.

News subscribers will be able to exclusively stream the T20 tournament action from 15-27 August through the app, website and mobile platforms.

Brasher threatened to go on with the job before Symonds, who skippers Frankston Peninsula in Victorian Premier Cricket, struck twice in the 14th over, first dismissing Max Hatzoglou (7 off 10) before snaring the scalp of Brasher to halt the Storm’s momentum.

While they threatened a total of around 160 at one stage, the Blaze were quietened by the Storm, who took another three wickets in the final six overs to prevent the remaining Blaze batsmen from getting any traction.

After losing to the Northern Tide on Sunday night, the Storm will be keen to bounce back to keep their chances of making Friday’s Strike League final alive.

Rising Territory stars benefiting from Strike League

If Northern Territory product Michael Kudra makes it as a first class player, he may well look back to the T20 Strike League and Cricket 365 program as a turning point in his career.

While the four Strike League teams are spotted with first class, Big Bash and even former international stars from the southern states, players from the Northern Territory are also putting their stamp on the league.

One of the standouts is Southern Storm wicketkeeper Michael Kudra, whose work behind the stumps has caught the eye of plenty.

The 18-year-old, who played his first A grade game in the Darwin and District Competition at just 16, played for the Northern Territory Strike team in their three-game one-day series against a Cricket Australia XI earlier this month, with his efforts earning him to hone his skills with Australian captain and wicketkeeper Tim Paine in a pinch-me moment.

Michael Kudra wicketkeeping for the Southern Storm. Picture: Celina Whan

“When Tim Paine was up I got to do a session with him and the keeper from the CA (Cricket Australia) XI,” he said.

“(I learnt) just little things about technique and how he goes about it.

“It was pretty awesome. It’s not every day you get to do that.”

It’s a moment that would not have been possible without the Cricket 365 program, which includes the T20 Strike League in which all games are live streamed on News Corp websites.

That exposure - both to higher-calibre players and coaches and eyeballs viewing his Strike League matches - means plenty to Kudra and his NT teammates.

“The people down south to have the opportunity to play all year round (when they come up for the winter) and it brings attention to the NT and gives exposure to us and an opportunity to play against the bigger and better players and hopefully this competition continues,” he said.

“It’s brought up all the big coaches, we had Greg Shipperd coaching the Strike team.

“It’s brought up some good coaches and got all the media going too, so it’s given people another way to get their name out up here.”

Lachlan Gallagher is among the many bowlers Kudra has kept to in the Strike League competition. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Kudra said he didn’t have a particular goal to get into a pathway system in one of the southern states but wants to take his game as far as he can.

The Strike League has helped with that, with the teen keeping to the likes of former Sydney Thunder spinner Arjun Nair and Hobart Hurricanes all-rounder Josh Kann.

“We had Arjun Nair for the first part of the tournament and he was a good challenge, I was having fun trying to guess - and it was a guessing game half the time - what was coming out of those fingers,” he said.

“After about three games I started to pick up on what he was doing.”

and he is keeping an eagle eye on his teammates.

“Just seeing the way they go about it and what they don on game day and at training to prepare before they go out to bat, how they go about it in the field has definitely been a good learning point,” he said.

Kudra’s Storm take on the Desert Blaze on Monday in a match that could be a grand final preview with both teams travelling well so far.

Monday night’s game will be streamed live on News Corp websites from 6.30pm AEST.

Originally published as Cricket 365 live stream replay: Southern Storm v Desert Blaze in Darwin