Northern Territory have completed days three four and five the Under 16 Female National Championships, with a challenging run of T20 fixtures against strong opposition.
Round three saw NT face NSW Metro, with the Territory dismissed for 79. Bridget Slattery (13) and Palmerston’s Vishali Bimbral (12) were the main contributors with the bat, but NT were unable to build sustained partnerships against a disciplined NSW attack. In reply, NSW Metro reached the target at 6 for 80 in the 18th over. Trisha Bajaj continued her strong tournament form with the ball, finishing with 2 for 3 from four overs, while PINT’s Jordi O’Toole (2 for 15 from 3.2 overs) and Waratah’s Abbey Warton (1 for 16 from four overs) also claimed wickets.
Round four against Victoria Metro saw NT dismissed for 69 after being put under pressure by accurate bowling. Trisha Bajaj (10 from 25) and Ella Gustard (14 from 28) were the only batters to reach double figures. Victoria Metro proved too strong in the chase, reaching 1 for 71 in the 10th over despite the continued effort from the Territory bowlers.Round five against NSW Country saw NT bowl first, with NSW Country posting 3 for 112 from their 20 overs. Jordi O’Toole again led the attack with two early wickets, supported by a consistent all-round bowling effort that kept the scoring under control. In reply, NT fought hard to bat through the full 20 overs, finishing 8 for 73. Riva Guliya top scored with 20 from 37 balls, while Tracy Village’s Ekam Dhillon added 13 from 21 deliveries.
The final match of the block saw NT face Victoria Country, who made a strong start through an opening partnership of 151 between Lucy Fletcher (86) and Shenali Fernando (55 not out) to finish 1 for 164. Palmerston’s Naomi McMahon (1 for 18) was the lone wicket taker, while Trisha Bajaj again impressed with an economical spell, conceding just 11 runs from her four overs. Chasing a large total, NT showed positive signs by batting through the full 20 overs, with Riva Guliya again leading the way with 25 from 27 balls and Skylah Henwood finishing 17 not out as the innings closed on 99.
Two matches remain for the Territory, with further opportunities ahead to showcase their skills on the national stage.
You can follow the team’s scores and updates on the PlayCricket website and app.