Hobart Hurricanes to field a side in Northern Territory league after forming new partnership

Tasmania will have a strong presence in the Northern Territory for at least the next three years after forming an agreement with NT Cricket.

Tasmanian Tigers and Hurricanes Charlie Wakim and Jake Doran could see themselves playing in the Northern Territory next winter under a new partnership between Cricket Tasmania and NT cricket. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

TASMANIA will have a strong presence in the Northern Territory for at least the next three years after forming an agreement with NT Cricket.

Cricket Tasmania will enter a Hobart Hurricanes side in the Strike League — a competition David Warner and Cameron Bancroft featured in last season to obtain match practice while serving their bans for ball tampering — increasing the league to five teams.

The team will contain BBL-listed players as well as members of the Hurricanes Academy, with the agreement also seeing the Tigers men’s team host a two-week pre-season camp in Darwin and play a series of one-day matches against the Northern Territory men’s team.

CT general manager of high performance Drew Ginn said the partnership had been in the works for eight months and will provide a host of benefits to both parties.

“It is really exciting. NT cricket’s CEO [Joel Morrison], myself and Nick [Cummins] have had lots of conversations and one of the things that is really nice for the guys is the ability to go north in the winter,” Ginn said.

“We know that’s something to look forward to and you get to put people under a bit of competition pressure rather than just training pressure.

“The competition I think is just going to grow over the years as well, and I think it is good way to connect the north and south of the country.”

Ginn said the state was serious about its involvement and would be entering as strong a team as possible.

Numerous first class cricketers have played in the Strike League, including Tigers paceman Aaron Summers, who rose to prominence last year with some searing spells.

“We will use it for two reasons: one is to prepare for the JLT and start of our season and the other is to see what our young developing players are doing,” Ginn said.

“The conversations we have had around the team is we will have 18 spots, 12 will take up with the Hurricanes team and then we will have another six spots who are Hurricanes or academy players spread among the other teams.”

Morrison said the Hurricanes’ presence is a huge boom for the Northern Territory.

“This agreement is a game changer for cricket in the north, providing an unprecedented opportunity for Territory players to play against a professional cricket team in an NT competition, in their own backyard.”