'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAj/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAooL/AP/EACEQAAEDAQkAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAAQIDEhMiJENRcZPR/9oACAEBAAE/ABhR5X0XGHw1H0o78KQY1p8sN0x8X//EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/2gAIAQIBAT8Af//EABYRAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEf/aAAgBAwEBPwCs/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Top End T20 Series 2024 continued on Tuesday, August 13, with four matches spread across two Australian venues. At the Cazalys Arena Palmerston, the Melbourne Stars defeated the Adelaide Strikers, while the Australian Capital Territory walloped the Melbourne Stars.
Meanwhile, at Darwin’s Marrara Oval, the Melbourne Renegades and Pakistan A outclassed the Northern Territory and the Tasmania, respectively.
After defeating the Melbourne Stars by 26 runs, the Australian Capital Territory took the top spot on the Top End 2024 T20 series points table. Their NRR of 1.475 keeps them ahead of fellow four-point holders Northern Territory (0.498), Pakistan A (0.161), Melbourne Stars (0.083), Tasmania (-0.349), and Melbourne Renegades (-0.860).
With a win each to their credit, Bangladesh A and Adelaide Strikers are ranked seventh and eighth, respectively, in the nine-team standings. Winless Perth Scorchers continue to languish at the bottom of the Top End T20 Series 2024 points table after suffering three successive defeats.
D'Arcy Short headlines action-packed Top End day with all-round brilliance
In the first match of the day between the Adelaide Strikers and the Melbourne Stars, the former posted 138/7 after Liam Scott’s 62-run rescue act. Captain Scott overcame Austin Anlezark’s five-wicket haul and shared handy partnerships with Harry Manenti (25) and Harry Matthias (29*).
In response, Liam Blackford belted an unbeaten half-century to steer Melbourne Stars to a four-wicket win in the penultimate ball of the match.
In Darwin’s Marrara Oval, Northern Territory captain and opening batter D'Arcy Short unfurled 66 runs from 49 balls to take his team to 176/7 from 20 overs. Later in the run chase, Marcus Harris top-scored for the Melbourne Renegades with 51, while captain Will Sutherland blasted a rapid 13-ball 30 to take their home in 19 overs with four wickets to spare.
Notably, D'Arcy Short also claimed two wickets in the Renegades innings to cap a remarkable all-round performance for himself.
Australian Capital Territory were restricted to 142/6 by Melbourne Stars bowlers at Palmerston, with Sam Elliott being the pick of them through figures of 2/27. Unfortunately for Melbourne Stars, they fell 26 runs short of their target despite featuring valiant 30s from captain Liam Blackford and Reiley Mark.
Esam Rahman picked up five wickets with the ball for the Australian Capital Territory to bag match-winning figures of 5/31.
In the fourth and final match of the day and the 14th of the competition, Pakistan A bowlers Mohammad Imran (3/18), Jahandad Khan (2/21) and Abbas Afridi (2/39) folded up Tasmania for just 124 in 20 overs.
In response, Pakistan A opener Sahibzada Farhan and number three Omair Yousuf overpowered Will Prestwidge’s fighting three-fer to guide the visitors to a five-wicket win in 15.1 overs.
