Bancroft out of Warner clash after throat hit

Former Test opener Cameron Bancroft has endured a scare while batting in Darwin today, having suffered a blow to the throat that required a visit to hospital and ruled him out of tomorrow’s marquee match-up with his former Test opening partner, David Warner.

Bancroft, who has been taking part in the month-long NT Strike League limited-overs competition while serving his nine-month ban from international and state cricket, was struck while batting when he miscued an attempted lap sweep shot.

Batting at number three for his Desert Blaze outfit at Marrara this afternoon, the 25-year-old had posted a half-century and the Blaze were closing in on victory against Southern Storm when he aimed a scoop against NT seamer Kurt Johnston.

The full delivery took the top edge of Bancroft’s bat and flew directly into the under-side of his jaw and windpipe, which caused the usually unflinching batter to prop on his knees in obvious discomfort.

Bancroft then slowly raised himself to his feet as he was checked by medical staff who had been summoned to the middle, and walked gingerly towards square leg before resuming his innings.

He was dismissed four balls later, trapped lbw by Storm spinner Joel Logan, having scored 62 from 66 deliveries after 105 minutes at the crease, and was later taken to Royal Darwin Hospital for a precautionary scan.

While it appears he's escaped serious injury, he has been ruled out of tomorrow’s 50-over match against Warner’s City Cyclones.

That game had been billed as the weekend’s drawcard with the former Test teammates locking horns for the first time since they were involved in the ball-tampering incident in South Africa last March.

WARNER SCORECARD: City Cyclones v Northern Tide

BANCROFT SCORECARD: Desert Blaze v Southern Storm