WHILE Jono Dean was part of history on Saturday as one of the players to take part in the first Big Bash League game staged in the Northern Territory, unfortunately he and his Adelaide Strikers did not mark the occasion with a win.
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The Strikers went down by six wickets to the Perth Scorchers in the top of the table clash, the tricky, slow batting surface of Alice Springs' Traeger Park proving too much for the Adelaide side to overcome.
Bathurst batsman Dean was included in the Strikers' starting XI for just the second time this season, getting recalled to replace absent captain Travis Head.
He made 13 off 17 deliveries coming in at number six, Dean one of just four Strikers to reach double figures as they were all out for 112 with four balls remaining.
The Scorchers chased down the 113 needed for victory with 10 deliveries left.
Still, Dean did manage to clear the ropes once before falling to Ashton Agar.
He was beaten in flight by a Matthew Kelly delivery, yet his one-handed shot was sliced over cover, travelling 67 metres for a six. Dean was one of just four players to hit a maximum in the clash.
Dean, who now plays his club cricket in the ACT, also got to soak up the atmosphere and interact with a new set of fans.
"You want to ignite that spark I suppose and get kids falling in love with cricket,” Strikers coach Jason Gillespie said. “T20 cricket is something a lot of these guys have only ever seen on TV.”