Cricket 365 2021 replay: Watch Desert Blaze v Northern Tide match
Desert Blaze have cruised to a win over the Northern Tide in a clash featuring a host of Big Bash League competitors. Watch the replay.
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Desert Blaze have set the bar in the T20 Strike League with a 25-run victory over Northern Tide to underline their status as competition favourites.
Winners of the Strike League one-day competition, the Blaze have shown they are just as proficient in the shorter format, winning both their T20 fixtures this week.
WATCH THE BLAZE V TIDE REPLAY IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
After setting the Tide a target of 156 on the back of a classy 46 from Jackson Isakka, the Blaze dismantled the Tide, snaring opener Matt Gilkes in the second over and slowly suffocating their opponents while pushing the run rate up to two a ball in the final six overs.
NSW representative Jason Sangha offered some resistance with a classy 28 off 24 balls but when he was dismissed by Oscar Corby in the 12th over, the Tide’s chances sank.
South Australian Austin Umpherston made a strong cameo in the dying overs, contributing 23 off 14 balls - including three fours belted off former international quick Chris Tremain - before being run out when Blaze keeper Max Hatzoglou threw down the stumps at the bowlers’ end.
Hayden Kerr took 3-29 for the Blaze, with Tom Andrews and Oscar Corby both chipping in with two wickets.
WATCH LIVE: News Corp is streaming the T20 tournament from 15-27 August. For
But it was too little, too late for the Tide, who fell well short of the target.
The Tide take on Southern Storm on Sunday night in another match to be streamed live on News Corp websites.
Earlier, Sydney grade star Jackson Isakka fell agonisingly short of a half-century while helping the Blaze set up the biggest run chase in the T20 Strike League.
The Blaze reached 5-156 from their 20 overs, thanks in large part to a dashing 46 off 38 balls from Isakka, who fell in the 19th over while trying to push the pace.
Isakka, who is starring in the top-order in Darwin club cricket during the northern winter, has not looked at all out of place in the star-studded Blaze team playing alongside the likes of former international one-day bowler Chris Tremain and captain and former Melbourne Renegades Big Bash player Tom Andrews.
The Blaze lost all-rounder Hayden Kerr for just three in the second over but recovered to become the first side to post a total above 150 in the T20 Strike League after better than a run-a-ball efforts from Isakka, Andrews (32 off 27), Dylan Brasher (29 off 24) and Max Hatzoglou (23 off 20).
Tremain gains plenty from Darwin T20 Strike League
Chris Tremain headed to the top end to hone his cricketing skills but will walk away from his northern winter with much more than he bargained for.
The 30-year-old quick, who will line up for the Desert Blaze against the City Cyclones in the T20 Strike League in Darwin on Friday night, said his time in the Territory had been “absolutely perfect” and given him everything needed to make a renewed push for a return to the international arena.
WATCH LIVE: News Corp is streaming the T20 tournament from 15-27 August. For
But it quickly became about more than just the mechanics of the sport.
“I came up here because I wanted to prepare and be in the best position I could to play cricket when I got home but once I got here and started to perform the way I wanted to, it became about the team I was playing for, the guys I was playing with,” Tremain said.
“I’ve got essentially everything I want out of my personal development and I got it really early and now it’s about playing good cricket, creating a winning culture and enjoying that winning feeling.”
Tremain played all four of his one-day internationals in 2016 and while he was a member of the Test squad in 2018, he has been out of the spotlight since but is keen to give himself the best chance of returning to the elite level.
“I don’t see any reason why you can’t do it,” he said. “There’s been plenty of instances — Adam Voges, Ryan Harris and Michael Hussey all debuted after they were 30.
“But it’s not what gets me up in the morning, it’s not what pushes me to be better.
“Australian selection’s always been out of my control and it took me a long time to work that out.
“Now I’m just happy to do my job and I’ll let all the bureaucratic issues and selections and anything else that is totally out of my control run their own course because the more I try and control that, the less I focus on what I’m doing.”
Instead, Tremain is playing the role of mentor in the Territory, with the young members of the Blaze soaking up his experiences at the top level and learning from him on and off the field.
“Whether it’s pure experience, ‘veteranism’ or whatever you want to call it, I started with guys asking questions; What’s Shield cricket like? What’s this like, what’s that like — and you go from telling stories one-on-one to eventually standing in front of the group and trying to apply anything that you might have seen or learnt into the group environment.
“I guess that mentoring came naturally to me because I really enjoy talking to people about cricket and about my career and what I’ve seen and learnt and they soak it up like a sponge.”
The Blaze’s clash against the Cyclones will be live streamed on News Corp websites from 6.30pm (AEST) Friday.
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