The 2025 Kookaburra Boys Junior Strike League will see the return of South Australia’s ‘Cricket for All’ and Gippsland-based ‘Victoria Big Cats’, with a combination of T20 and 50-over cricket set to be played across June 30 – July 4.
The tournament plays an important role in the U17 male pathway, with the Kookaburra Boys Junior Strike League allowing NT Cricket to identify players who have been performing well in Darwin Districts Cricket Competition and Alice Springs.
Of note, Shakeel Faizer (Wests) will represent the Territory for the first time after impressing NT Cricket’s Talent and Pathway Development Coach Trent Keep during a recent Talent Identification trip to Alice Springs.
Trent Keep - “Shakeel impressed greatly with his leg spinners and what stood out was a high level of consistency, as well as his character with local coaches speaking very highly of him. I look forward to seeing him get a well-deserved opportunity”.
Darwin’s Ralph Stephens returns for another Kookaburra Boys Junior Strike League after captaining the NT U17 side at last year’s Cricket Australia Underage National Championships in Launceston, while Tye Beer (Tracy Village) continues to impress at an A-grade level, playing a key role in Tracy Village’s recent one-day title success.
The Kookaburra Boys Junior Strike League will be coached by Pint’s Rhys French (head coach), who has been a consistent figure across the 2025 Male Academy program, while Nightcliff’s Captain Jai Allman will be the assistant coach.
Trent Keep - “the appointment of both Rhys and Jai reflect NT Cricket’s development of local DDCC coaches and mentors to the NT pathway. We have a strong focus on getting two-way feedback from those within our local community, as they get to see these young players almost every day in club environments”.
Rhys French - “This is a wonderful opportunity for the boys and several of these players will go on to represent NT at the National Championships, so we will be looking to perform strongly as a team and implement the many lessons that have been trained throughout the Academy this season”.
Matches will be played across DXC 2 and Cazalys Oval, with DXC 1 out of action due to Australia A’s tour against Sri Lanka A.
NT JUNIOR STRIKE LEAGUE SQUAD:
Ralph Stephens | Darwin
Noah McDonald | Pint
Arlo Everett | Waratah
Billy O’Toole | Pint
Tye Beer | Tracy Village
Rithun Ramanan | Waratah
Shakeel Faizer | Wests
Riley Suter | Nightcliff
Dhruv Shandilya | Tracy Village
Angad Panwar | Southern Districts
Deepanshu Panwar | Southern Districts
Lucas Nixon | Tracy Village
Ty Jennings | Waratah
Nate Watson | Southern Districts
Harvey McCormick | Waratah
DRAW:
Monday 30th June, 9am to 12pm at Cazalys (T20) – NT v Victoria Big Cats
Monday 30th June, 1pm to 4pm at Cazalys (T20) – NT v Cricket for All
Monday 30th June, 5pm to 8pm at Cazalys (T20) – Cricket for All v Victoria Big Cats
Tuesday 1st July, 10am to 5:30pm at DXC 2 (50-overs) – NT v Cricket for All
Wednesday 2nd July, 9am to 4:30pm at Cazalys (50-0vers) – NT v Victoria Big Cats
Thursday 3rd July, 10am to 5:30pm at Cazalys (50-overs) – Cricket for All v Victoria Big Cats
* Friday 4th July, 8am to 3:30pm at DXC (40-overs) – Victoria Big Cats v Cricket for All
* Additional game to tournament