SPORT Bell enjoys respite from heat of battle fileAustralia, Ballance wasn’t tak-ing anything for...
1
Centralian Advocate, Tuesday, December 3, 2013 — 31 SPORT Cam Gray with Barmy Army ‘‘general’’ Dave Peacock Picture: JUSTIN BRIERTY Wham, bam, thanks Cam CRICKET Mark Hayes A CENTRALIAN woman was chiefly re- sponsible for helping keep England’s cricketing misery rolling. Carmella Gray, ‘‘Cam’’ to her mates, was ‘‘woman of the match’’ on Thursday night as an indigenous Northern Territory XI took down the might of the Barmy Army in a Twenty20 match at Albrecht Oval. Cam, a newcomer to cricket in the past couple of years who had only ever played with the boys in a C Grade Alice Springs match, took a wicket and two spectacular catches to get the gong in a 25-run victory for the local team. ‘‘It was a bit nerve-racking at first, but I think I did all right - I was stoked. I think I nearly passed out when I got it,’’ Cam said. ‘‘I thought, ‘What the hell have I gotten myself into?’, when we started because they looked pretty serious. ‘‘But the guys were great and supportive, especially when I took my wickets. ‘‘I just didn’t want to disappoint the blokes, but I jumped on (NT captain) Marcus (Rosas) when I took one of my catches. ‘‘It was so exciting to beat them, even though they were great people and a lot of fun.’’ Asked if she was proud to have played her part in keeping the entire England touring party on the back foot, Cam grinned widely and said: ‘‘Yeah, it was good to keep the Poms quiet.’’ Impressive Blues talent an Imparja Cup product CRICKET Jordan McArdle Josh Lalor NSW indigenous cricketer Josh Lalor is living proof that the Imparja Cup is a springboard to higher honours. The talented all-rounder was one of the stars for the Cricket Australia Chair- man’s XI, scoring an im- pressive 45 and putting on a vital 64-run seventh wicket partnership with Western Australia’s Ashton Turner (39 not out). Lalor, a left-arm paceman and aggressive right- handed batsman, also took the first wicket of the match - England opener Michael Carberry for six. The 26-year-old is one of two indigenous cricketers with a state contract, the other being Victoria’s Dan Christian. He first got the call up for the Alice Springs-based tournament as a teenager and had gone on to play six first-class and four one-day domestic matches for the Blues, as well as four Big Bash League appearances for the Sydney Sixers. ‘‘I first came across the Imparja Cup after a phone call from someone at Cricket NSW seven or eight years ago when I was about 18,’’ Lalor said on his Imparja Cup experiences. ‘‘I’d never heard of the tournament . . . (but) it was starting to gain a bit of momentum and pick up some talented players across the country. ‘‘Since then I’ve played for NSW twice in the tourna- ment and been back to Alice Springs a few times . . . to speak to young indigenous cricketers.’’ The Imparja Cup will next be played at TIO Traeger Park in Alice Springs on February 9-14 next year. Bell enjoys respite from heat of battle CRICKET Jordan McArdle High fives as the the Chairman’s XI players run in to celebrate the fall of an England wicket at Traeger Park on Friday Pictures: JUSTIN BRIERTY ENGLAND stand-in captain Ian Bell believes time in the Red Centre has done his side the world of good heading into the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval starting on Thursday. Bell said it was a good re- grouping experience for the squad, with a visit to Uluru, a round of golf and a warm civic reception welcome from the Alice Springs public part of a relaxing few days. It was a far cry from the hostile first Test in Brisbane, in which England were thrashed by 381 runs. As for the heat - which reached the high 30s on Friday and Saturday - Bell believes it could work in the Poms advan- tage for Adelaide. ‘‘I think it’s good for us in a way, playing in this heat,’’ he said. ‘‘Adelaide’s not going to be cold but it will be a lot easier than playing in the extreme heat (in Alice Springs). ‘‘The guys stuck to it all day (Saturday) and for 10 overs (on Friday) and did really well out of it. ‘‘We’re all looking forward to the challenge in Adelaide and have got some good memories there from the last Ashes series.’’ Batsman Gary Ballance was the main English beneficiary of the Chairman’s XI clash in Alice Springs with a determined half-century on Friday. In a bid to claim the recently vacated No. 3 position, the Zim- babwe-born 24-year-old top- scored in England’s mediocre total of 7-212 declared. Ballance believes his timely knock has given him plenty of confidence after two ducks and a four in England colours. ‘‘It’s been a long month work- ing hard in the nets, so just to be able to bat for a few hours in the middle and give myself some confidence was good,’’ he said. ‘‘I’ve been able to make a 50. It would have been nice to push on and get a hundred, but that happens in cricket.’’ While he would jump at the chance to play for his adopted home against traditional rivals Australia, Ballance wasn’t tak- ing anything for granted. ‘‘Obviously it would be a great feeling, but I don’t really want to look too far ahead,’’ he said. ‘‘I want to think one day at a time, keeping working hard and if selected, I think I’ll be ready.’’ England’s other middle-order candidates, Yorkshire batsman Jonny Bairstow and Kiwi-born Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes, scored 31 not out and 28 respectively on day one. Bairstow has played 12 Tests and averages 30.22 and Stokes, like Ballance, is yet to represent England in the Test arena. The Poms lost the match on the first innings, with the Chair- man’s XI getting past their score before declaring at 8-254. West Australian opening batsman Marcus Harris top- scored with 49 and England off- spinner Graeme Swann took 4-56. England finished the two-day match at 1-47 in their second innings. Redtails boil over at beach BEACH CRICKET Jordan McArdle REDTAILS Football Club was crowned inaugural Centralian Advo- cate Desert Beach Cricket Carnival champions on Sunday. Temperature of more than 40C didn’t stop about 100 people flocking to the Old Telegraph Station to witness a historic event, with the Redtails edging out the KFC Raiders in a thrilling decider. Both the Redtails and Raiders went through the early stages of the Super 8s style tournament before meeting up in the final which went down to the last over. The Redtails Football Club thanked the Centralian Advocate on Facebook for its hard work in setting up the event. Caleb Hart captained the winning side, with Paul Campbell, Rob Clarke, Jayden Prior, Grant Butler, Jake Clarke, Thomas Ambrose and Roy Tilmouth also taking part. The Outback Warriors, Lankan Lions, Indian Tuskers and Barmy Army were the other teams that competed in the six-team tourna- ment. All profits from the event will go to the Redtails Football Club. England batsman Ian Bell batting at Traeger Park
Transcript of SPORT Bell enjoys respite from heat of battle fileAustralia, Ballance wasn’t tak-ing anything for...
Centralian Advocate, Tuesday, December 3, 2013 — 31
SPORT
Cam Gray with Barmy Army ‘‘general’’Dave Peacock Picture: JUSTIN BRIERTY
Wham, bam,thanks CamCRICKET
Mark Hayes
A CENTRALIAN woman was chiefly re-sponsible for helping keep England’scricketing misery rolling.
Carmella Gray, ‘‘Cam’’ to her mates, was‘‘woman of the match’’ on Thursday nightas an indigenous Northern Territory XItook down the might of the Barmy Army ina Twenty20 match at Albrecht Oval.
Cam, a newcomer to cricket in the pastcouple of years who had only ever playedwith the boys in a C Grade Alice Springsmatch, took a wicket and two spectacularcatches to get the gong in a 25-run victoryfor the local team.
‘‘It was a bit nerve-racking at first, but Ithink I did all right - I was stoked. I think Inearly passed out when I got it,’’ Cam said.
‘‘I thought, ‘What the hell have I gottenmyself into?’, when we started because theylooked pretty serious.
‘‘But the guys were great and supportive,especially when I took my wickets.
‘‘I just didn’t want to disappoint theblokes, but I jumped on (NT captain)Marcus (Rosas) when I took one of mycatches.
‘‘It was so exciting to beat them, eventhough they were great people and a lot offun.’’
Asked if she was proud to have played herpart in keeping the entire England touringparty on the back foot, Cam grinned widelyand said: ‘‘Yeah, it was good to keep thePoms quiet.’’
Impressive Blues talentan Imparja Cup product
CRICKET
Jordan McArdle
Josh Lalor
NSW indigenous cricketerJosh Lalor is living proofthat the Imparja Cup is aspringboard to higherhonours.
The talented all-rounderwas one of the stars for theCricket Australia Chair-man’s XI, scoring an im-pressive 45 and putting on avital 64-run seventh wicketpartnership with WesternAustralia’s Ashton Turner(39 not out).
Lalor, a left-arm pacemanand aggressive right-handed batsman, also took
the first wicket of the match- England opener MichaelCarberry for six.
The 26-year-old is one oftwo indigenous cricketerswith a state contract, theother being Victoria’s DanChristian.
He first got the call up forthe Alice Springs-basedtournament as a teenagerand had gone on to play sixfirst-class and four one-daydomestic matches for theBlues, as well as four BigBash League appearancesfor the Sydney Sixers.
‘‘I first came across theImparja Cup after a phonecall from someone at
Cricket NSW seven or eightyears ago when I was about18,’’ Lalor said on hisImparja Cup experiences.
‘‘I’d never heard of thetournament . . . (but) it wasstarting to gain a bit ofmomentum and pick upsome talented playersacross the country.
‘‘Since then I’ve played forNSW twice in the tourna-ment and been back to AliceSprings a few times . . . tospeak to young indigenouscricketers.’’
The Imparja Cup will nextbe played at TIO TraegerPark in Alice Springs onFebruary 9-14 next year.
Bell enjoys respitefrom heat of battleCRICKET
Jordan McArdle
High fives as the the Chairman’s XI players run in to celebrate the fall of an England wicket atTraeger Park on Friday Pictures: JUSTIN BRIERTY
ENGLAND stand-in captainIan Bell believes time in theRed Centre has done his sidethe world of good heading intothe second Ashes Test at theAdelaide Oval starting onThursday.
Bell said it was a good re-grouping experience for thesquad, with a visit to Uluru, around of golf and a warm civicreception welcome from theAlice Springs public part of arelaxing few days.
It was a far cry from thehostile first Test in Brisbane,in which England werethrashed by 381 runs.
As for the heat - whichreached the high 30s on Fridayand Saturday - Bell believes itcould work in the Poms advan-tage for Adelaide.
‘‘I think it’s good for us in away, playing in this heat,’’ hesaid.
‘‘Adelaide’s not going to becold but it will be a lot easierthan playing in the extremeheat (in Alice Springs).
‘‘The guys stuck to it all day(Saturday) and for 10 overs (onFriday) and did really well outof it.
‘‘We’re all looking forward tothe challenge in Adelaide andhave got some good memoriesthere from the last Ashesseries.’’
Batsman Gary Ballance wasthe main English beneficiary ofthe Chairman’s XI clash inAlice Springs with a determinedhalf-century on Friday.
In a bid to claim the recentlyvacated No. 3 position, the Zim-babwe-born 24-year-old top-
scored in England’s mediocretotal of 7-212 declared.
Ballance believes his timelyknock has given him plenty ofconfidence after two ducks anda four in England colours.
‘‘It’s been a long month work-ing hard in the nets, so just to beable to bat for a few hours in themiddle and give myself someconfidence was good,’’ he said.
‘‘I’ve been able to make a 50. Itwould have been nice to push onand get a hundred, but thathappens in cricket.’’
While he would jump at the
chance to play for his adoptedhome against traditional rivalsAustralia, Ballance wasn’t tak-ing anything for granted.
‘‘Obviously it would be a greatfeeling, but I don’t really want tolook too far ahead,’’ he said.
‘‘I want to think one day at atime, keeping working hard andif selected, I think I’ll be ready.’’
England’s other middle-ordercandidates, Yorkshire batsmanJonny Bairstow and Kiwi-bornDurham all-rounder BenStokes, scored 31 not out and 28respectively on day one.
Bairstow has played 12 Testsand averages 30.22 and Stokes,like Ballance, is yet to representEngland in the Test arena.
The Poms lost the match onthe first innings, with the Chair-man’s XI getting past theirscore before declaring at 8-254.
West Australian openingbatsman Marcus Harris top-scored with 49 and England off-spinner Graeme Swann took4-56.
England finished the two-daymatch at 1-47 in their secondinnings.
Redtails boil over at beachBEACH CRICKET
Jordan McArdle
REDTAILS Football Club wascrowned inaugural Centralian Advo-
cate Desert Beach Cricket Carnivalchampions on Sunday.
Temperature of more than 40Cdidn’t stop about 100 people flockingto the Old Telegraph Station towitness a historic event, with the
Redtails edging out the KFC Raidersin a thrilling decider.
Both the Redtails and Raiderswent through the early stages of theSuper 8s style tournament beforemeeting up in the final which wentdown to the last over.
The Redtails Football Clubthanked the Centralian Advocate onFacebook for its hard work in settingup the event.
Caleb Hart captained the winningside, with Paul Campbell, Rob Clarke,Jayden Prior, Grant Butler, JakeClarke, Thomas Ambrose and RoyTilmouth also taking part.
The Outback Warriors, LankanLions, Indian Tuskers and BarmyArmy were the other teams thatcompeted in the six-team tourna-ment. All profits from the event willgo to the Redtails Football Club.
England batsman Ian Bell batting at Traeger Park
