46 NT NEWS. Wednesday, September 25, 2013. www.ntnews.com.au

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FOOTROT FLATSHarris aims to play all TestsRYAN Harris is hopeful ofplaying all five Tests whenthe Ashes resume in Austra-lia this summer after over-coming a hamstring strain.

The 33-year-old pacemansuffered the injury duringthe fifth Test draw at TheOval last month and was ru-led out for up to eight weeks.

But Harris said yesteraythe injury ‘‘seems to havehealed’’ and last week re-turned to bowling as part of

early preparations for theopening Test at the Gabba onNovember 21.

‘‘I probably had two weeksoff bowling and I’ve beenback at the gym getting mystrength back up, so every-thing’s on target,’’ he said.

‘‘We’re just in process ofplanning out exactly howmany games I’m going toplay and what the process isgoing to be leading into thatfirst Test.’’

Belinda Howie, Sally Howie and Kerry Baldissera

Howie following in the family footstepsHOCKEY

By JESSWEBSTER

ONE Centralian family willachieve a rare feat this week-end when 11-year-old SallyHowie makes her NT hockeyrepresentative debut.

Howie will become a thirdgeneration NT hockey repre-sentative after motherBelinda and grandmotherKerry Baldissera — all bornin Alice Springs — also repre-sented the Territory.

Baldissera, 61, was a NT re-

presentative from 1986-2000and spent eight years at theAustralian National VeteransChampionships, while herdaughter Belinda, 39, repre-sented the NT in under-21s(1991-92), and seniors (1993).

Belinda has also repre-sented South Australia whileat boarding school and madethe SA under-16s (1989-90),and under-21s (1995).

She is now based in Dar-win, where her daughterSally has been playing localhockey for Waratahs for the

past three years. Belinda saidhockey was ‘‘second nature’’for the family.

‘‘My mum started becom-ing involved in hockey at avery young age and has beenan integral part of the AliceSprings Hockey Associationrunning Masters Games andhas been a player most herlife,’’ she said.

‘‘I’ve grown up always go-ing down to the hockey on theweekends. It’s second natureto us. Hockey is great for theyoung ones, not only on the

field for team discipline, butit’s great off field socially too— I’ve made lifelong friendsfrom the sport.’’

As the youngest member ofthe side, Sally will head toHobart this weekend wherethe NT under-13s will contestthe national championships.

The NT under-13 boys willcompete in Melbourne whilethe under-15 boys (Darwin)and girls (Perth) will also bein action when all four tour-naments are played fromSeptember 28-October 5.

Keeper’sspot inno doubtSOCCER

SQUADOliver Bozanic, Mark Bresciano, Tim

Cahill, David Carney, Jason Davidson,

James Holland, Brett Holman, Jackson

Irvine, Mile Jedinak, Josh Kennedy,

Robbie Kruse, Mitchell Langerak (gk),

Matthew Leckie, MatthewMcKay,

Mark Milligan, Lucas Neill, Tommy

Oar, Sasa Ognenovski, Tommy Rogic,

Nikita Rukavytsya, Mat Ryan (gk),

Dario Vidosic, LukeWilkshire, Rhys

Williams.

SOCCEROOS stalwartMark Schwarzer has beenleft out of the national squadfor friendlies against Franceand Canada, but coachHolger Osieck says the40-year-old is not keeping onborrowed time.

Mitch Langerak is set tomake his internationaldebut against France inParis next month, havinghad his first taste of theChampions League lastweek with German clubBorussia Dortmund.

Langerak has been onOsieck’s radar since first be-ing called into Australia’ssquad in March 2011 andlooms large as Schwarzer’smost likely replacementshould there be a change be-tween the posts for the 2014World Cup.

‘‘At the present stage,yes,’’ Osieck replied whenasked if Schwarzer was hisfirst choice for Brazil.

‘‘It’s a very simple one.‘‘I know what he can do

and his status in the team.He’s our No. 1 goalkeeper.

‘‘But if I keep playing him,what about the others wemay need?

‘‘In particular MitchLangerak — I think it’sabout time for him to showwhat he can do.’’

The goalkeeping dilemmais one of many questionshovering over the make-upof Australia’s team, especi-ally after they were ham-mered 6-0 by Brazil.

Territory Strikes PNG

NT keeper Leigh Drennan watches the bails fly as Udara Weerasinghe bowls PNG’s Charles Amini Jr Picture: DANIEL HARTLEY-ALLEN

CRICKET

ByGREYMORRIS

SCOREBOARDNTSTRIKE 5-197 (J Weatherald106, A Dilley 44, C Francis 19no, LRobins 16no, W Gavera 2-39, AHicks 2-24) dPAPUANEWGUINEA 193 (M Dai 40, J Kila 35,C Amini 22, T Ura 21).

A JAKE Weatherald centuryhas lifted the NT Strike to itsfirst win in the SACAPremier League yesterday.

Opening bat Weatherald’sblazing 106 from 88 ballsagainst Papua New Guineacarried the Strike past their194-run target with fivewickets and 18 overs to spare.

That was after the off-spinof Cameron Francis (4-28),Madura Weerasinghe (2-22)and Udara Weerasinghe(2-30) dismissed PNG for 193.

A former Darwin CricketClub junior, Weatherald hiteight fours and five sixes inhis quickfire knock before hewas dismissed just 24 runsshort of the victory target.

‘‘We needed a lift in ourbatting and I was pleased tostep up and get a few off themiddle of the bat this time,’’Weatherald said.

‘‘It’s given us a boost beforemeeting South Australia(today), so hopefully we canlearn from this.’’

Weatherald’s 130-runfourth wicket partnershipwith Adam Dilley effectivelywon the game for theTerritory side.

None of the PNG batsmenwent on to a big score despiteMahuru Dai continuing hisgood form with 40, JasonKila making 35 and skipperChris Amini 22.

The Strike’s interstate50-over match against a full-strength Redbacks side todaywill be followed by crucialPremier League gamesagainst the Eastern Edge andSouthern Force.