DARWIN wasn’t initially on the cards in Seamus Keogh’s cricketing journey, but it’s an opportunity he’s keen to embrace.
The 19-year-old Mildura Settlers export has earned a call-up to the 60-player squad for the upcoming Northern Territory Strike League after a solid debut campaign for Port Adelaide in South Australian premier cricket.
The Strike League is one of two events launched by Northern Territory Cricket in 2021 as a national winter cricket concept featuring the best young emerging talent in Australia.
The competition features four franchise teams, City Cyclones, Desert Blaze, Southern Storm and Northern Tide, competing in a combination of 10 50-over and 11 Twenty20 matches across 37 days and multiple venues from Sunday, June 25, to Friday, July 28.
Keogh will rub shoulders with Big Bash and domestic stars including Billy Stanlake, Jason Sangha and Sam Heazlett. Players are yet to be assigned to the four teams.
“My name got put forward from South Australia, someone had pulled out so I got the late call-up,” he said.
“It all happened very quickly. It was all a matter of about an hour between me not going, and then going.
“I didn’t really know what to feel and know what was going on, and the parents weren’t really sure either when I told them, but I’ve booked the flights and got myself ready and started pre-season from there.
“Play against different players you wouldn’t normally go up against, and there’s some pretty familiar big names in there, so to learn from them and get around them will be huge for us younger players and also to get the ball rolling in the pre-season as well.”
Despite some injuries, Keogh impressed in his season in South Australia after switching from Northcote in Victorian Premier Cricket.
The pace bowler finished with 25 wickets for Port’s first XI with best figures of 7/31, helping the Magpies to second place and their first finals appearance in six years.
Keogh also made his South Australian Second XI debut in Hobart against Tasmania, playing alongside Mildura East export Campbell Vadlja.
“I loved it, Port welcomed me with open arms which made life much easier,” he said.
“My first season wasn’t too bad, I would have liked it to be better with there being an injury but happy overall.
“Getting the experience of playing Second XI was good. I didn’t play as well as I wanted to be it was good to get exposure to that level and it made it easier going with someone I know.
“Hopefully I can play a few more second XI games and go even better in club cricket this season.”
Pre-season for the SACA Under 23 rookie program will begin for Keogh after he returns to Adelaide from Darwin.
