Hobart Hurricanes to play in Northern Territory

Press Release:



The Hobart Hurricanes are excited to be announced as the third team to join NT Cricket's TIO Women’s Strike League this July.



Salliann Briggs' side will take on local Territory teams the Northern Tide and Desert Blaze in the T20 competition running from 27 July to 2 August.



The Tasmanian Tigers Women's team will also tour the Top End in late July, conducting training camps alongside a series of One-Day matches with the ACT Meteors in a tune-up for the start of the Women’s National Cricket League season.



This news follows the announcement earlier this year that the Hobart Hurricanes and Tasmanian Tigers Men's teams would travel to Darwin in August for a similar pre-season camp, taking part in the Strike League and facing the Northern Territory in One-Day matches.



Briggs' Female Program has been interchanging between T20 and One-Day mode since returning to full-time training in early May, with this trip north presenting the opportunity for matches ahead of the season.



"The week in Darwin will be great for us to get away from the day-to-day in Hobart as a group and put into practice all we've been working hard on this winter," said Briggs.



"Being on turf this time of year in the marquee at Blundstone Arena is already an advantage and these matches will provide a further competitive edge before the WNCL and Big Bash."



Cricket Tasmania’s General Manager of High Performance, Drew Ginn, said:



"It has been great partnering with NT Cricket to develop a plan for our players and programs which provides the key opportunity for them to play competitive matches before the summer."



"To be able to head north for an exciting competition like the NT Strike League will be an asset to both our Male and Female programs, it’s about connecting the south and north of Australia through cricket.”



Commenting on the partnership announcement and growth of the Women’s Strike League, NT Cricket CEO, Joel Morrison, said:



“In just two short years the TIO Strike League has put the national and international cricketing spotlight on the Territory, with the inclusion of the Hurricanes BBL and WBBL teams in 2019 set to take the event to the next level.



“Our top women’s and men’s amateur players now have the ability to take on some of the best professional cricketers in the world in their own backyard, a unique opportunity that doesn’t exist anywhere else."