The Arrivals Lounge

CHARLIE HURST AND MICK YOUNG BECOME TWO BLUES

The Newtown and Chilwell Cricket club is pleased to announce two important new arrivals for the summer ahead.

Mick Young, a hard-hitting all-rounder who has been playing with Little River will line-up for the Two Blues in October.

So too with Geelong College product Charlie Hurst, a solid batsman and wicketkeeper keen to take his game to the next level level.

The club welcomed both players with the now traditional 10 Questions:

​

10 QUESTIONS WITH NCCC RECRUIT CHARLIE HURST

Q1. How did you hear about Newtown and Chilwell Cricket Club?

A1. Because I’ve been at school at College the last few years, I’m good mates with a lot of boys who play at Newtown. I’ve played school cricket with probably 10 or so Newtown boys over the years, so it’s always been there as a potential spot to play with my mates.

Q2. What brings you to the club ahead for the 20/21 season?

A2. I was just looking to take my game to a higher level in the GCA and to play within a good culture and with my mates, so when Coop and Shane got in touch with me about playing this season, I knew it was something I couldn’t pass up on.

Q3. Tell us about where you have played before.

A3. My home club was Barwon Heads. I played there since Under 13s. I absolutely loved it there. But I was only playing half the season there because of school cricket for college. There I played with boys like Joey, Charlie Mitchell, Hunter, Baxter, the Bain brothers, Nick Burke, Noah Guida and the Dowlings.

Q4. Describe yourself as a cricketer. Batsman, bowler, all-rounder?

A4. Batsmen/wicket keeper. Unfortunately, I do not roll the arm over.

Q5. What’s been the highlight of your cricket playing days so far?

A5. Probably our school win last season against St Kevin’s away. Where they needed one run to win and we needed one wicket and Noah Guida took a screamer to win the game. Or beating Geelong Grammar in the derby.

Q6. We’re very proud of our ground and club rooms, have you had a chance to have a look at them yet?

A6. I haven’t played there yet, but I’ve watched a bit of cricket there and from what I saw it seems it’s got a real nice outfield with a boss pavilion.

Q7. Who is the best cricketer you’ve played with, and against?

A7. Liam Blackford would have to be the best, freak of nature.
Against would probably be Zak Evans or Jake Fraser-McGurk.

Q8. Cooper Bingham pops up as a friend on Facebook, any secrets can you share about Silky with us.

A8. Nah I don’t really know Coop that well but I’m good mates with his younger brother Baxter who I’m at school with I’m sure he could tell you a thing or two.

Q9. Jack Royce is another Facebook friend – anything to tell us or is what happens on tour staying right there.

A9. Nah I don’t really know Roycey that well.

Q10. Have you ever heard of Russell Mitchell, and if so, what have you heard?

A10. Nah I hadn’t heard of Russell but apparently he’s an interesting unit according to Joe.

​

​

10 QUESTION WITH NEW NCCC RECRUIT, MICK YOUNG

Q1. What brings you to the Newtown and Chilwell Cricket Club?

A1. I got a message from Shane Murdoch about coming across to the club. Having played footy with him I know his attitude when it comes to sport and I jumped at the opportunity. I’m really looking forward to playing cricket under him. I have heard very good things being that he also played for Phillip Island not long before I joined the club.

Q2. You played football with Shane Murdoch, what sort of a footballer is he?

A2. Very intelligent, determined, hard and will let you know how he feels in an instant! Loved being around him on the field. You know if he had the ball in his hands it was hardly ever getting back in the oppositions’ possession.

Q3. Tell us a little bit about your cricket background – we hear Little River and Phillip Island feature on your resume.

A3. So I started my career up north for Leitchville/Gunbower as a junior and up through their senior sides. Then moved to Phillip Island and played a few seasons there before moving to Geelong for uni. Travelled back and forth playing for Phillip Island for a couple of seasons before heading to Little River. Then last year I had a bit of a break from the game having an interrupted season with Little River and Phillip Island. But I am really looking forward to the upcoming season!

Q4. We read in The Geelong Advertiser a couple of years back you’re a hard-hitting batsman, is that correct, and where do you like to bat?

A4. Yeah, I can be quite hard hitting if the need arises. Not many things more satisfying as a batsman than seeing a ball that is in the arc and watching it fly over cow corner! My own preference is I like to bat around the middle at four, five or six and from there you can really set the game up and set yourself a task, whether that be to consolidate after quick wickets and build an innings or to come in with 15 overs left to get the scoreboard moving.

Q5. As an all-rounder, what sort of bowler are we likely to see in action on KFC Oval this summer?

A5. I am a bit of a swing bowler. Not super quick but quick enough to trouble a few people. I'm always determined to get my man and will toil all day and bowl long spells if I need to. Growing up bowling on hard, dry, turf wickets up north teaches you how not to bowl and I am really excited about bowling on the turf down here!

Q6. Who is the best cricketer with whom you have played?

A6. That is a really tough question. I have played with some cracking blokes and great cricketers over the last 15 years of playing. But for me one bloke stands out above the rest. Tyler Jones. Opening batsman who can tear a side apart in an instant, fantastic gloveman and not a bad bowler either. I played a lot of A grade cricket with him and watching how calm and collected he was at the crease was a joy. I remember one game in which I was padded up to go in at three and I sat there for 45 overs watching TJ and Kurt Brereton put on over 300 with Tyler making a double ton in a one day game! Awesome player!


Q7. Who is the best cricketer against whom you have played?

A7. Again, a tough question! I hate to admit it. But there is a bloke by the name of Russel White who I loathed to play against. An all-rounder who just had knack of getting me out as a bowler and as a batsman could bat all day and damage you if you got your lines wrong.

Q8. What are you goals for the 2020/2021 season as the Two Blues regroup after missing finals last summer?

A8. I'd love to have a consistent year with scoring runs and taking wickets. I’m yet to really shine with the bat and I reckon this upcoming season is as good as any to really get the ball and runs rolling!

Q9. You are at University, what are you aiming to do when you have finished your studies.

A9. So, I am studying to become a primary school teacher. I love teaching people and helping where I can.

Q10. This final question normally asks for a favourite Russell Mitchell story, “Battler” being the club secretary, life member, premiership player and champion character. We will defer this one until you meet him – thereafter it won’t take long before you to have a favourite Russell Mitchell story.

A10. I can't wait!

June 2020

1st Fleet -  2nd Coming

THE RETURN OF A FAVOURITE SON

This summer, the Two Blues welcome the return of a favourite son, with his son.

Four time premiership player and former First XI captain Darren Fleet is returning to the club after a decade and more absence.

One of the reasons for his return is to allow his son Archie to develop his game via our quality junior program, maintaining a rich Fleet family link to the club.

“He can only be coached by his Dad for so long,” Darren said.

Darren’s father, Arthur, and his brother, Brad, are also premiership players at the club, and his wife, Millie, also served on the committee.

Two Blues Media spoke to Darren as the news of his return broke.  

​

10 QUESTIONS WITH DARREN FLEET

Q1: Fleetie, welcome back, what brings you back?

A1: There are TWO parts to that question. I have coached my son Arch's team at Drysdale for three years and have really enjoyed seeing the kids evolve and sharing my knowledge of the game with them. We played in back-to-back grand finals and last year the boys improved to a division one level, where we played against the two NCCC U/15 teams. I got to catch up with Rod Kiddle and Ian Hastie and talk about what they were doing and how the junior program worked and thought it would be great for Arch (he can only be coached by his Dad for so long).

The second part is that I put my hand up to play a few games if they were short last year and nearly played the whole season. I loved being back in that competitive team environment after nine years off and had a ball but I think the fact that my NCCC baggy blue still lives in my cricket bag helped me realise that when I play my last game of cricket, I want to be wearing that cap!

Q2: Your father and brother, as well as you, are premiership players with the club, your wife, Millie, also served on the committee and Archie is about to become a Two Blues player: what does this club mean to you?

A2: In a word, Home! So many of my fondest memories come from Queens Park and in particular NCCC. Even when I have played for another club, I have always followed the NCCC and still referred to myself as a Two Blue. Arch is super excited to become another Two Blue Fleet as well.

Q3: The facilities at Queens Park have improved a bit over the past decade, we even have ice baths: have you checked them our recently?

A3: I have had a look and can't wait to check out the Ice Bath!! I don't pull up after a game as well as I used too! The facilities including the playing surface on Stinton Oval have come such a long way, in my last season the ground was being resurfaced and the nets were still upstairs. I only played one game on Stinton Oval after it was redone, it really does look magnificent!

Q4: You and your brother Brad feature prominently in Barnso’s Bible, in both the real cricket department and the social awards, when you once won the award for worst player to make a score. What turned you into a century-scoring, average-winning, 500 runs in a season batsman?

A4: That was a funny one, I was still pretty new to the club and was really quite offended because I knew that I could bat, reality was though that, at that time I wasn't making any runs on turf at all. I couldn't play the first week of a game so Gav Clark picked me to play a one day game in the 5ths and I was lucky enough to make 114 no, then I went back to the Seconds and still couldn't make a run so the award was justified. What changed my batting was advice from Rod Kiddle, Russell Mitchell and James Duff, they told me to stop listening to people who were trying to get me to play a technically correct game and start trying to score the way I wanted to. I started to back my ability and attack the bowling and managed to get a few scores.

Q5: Your best bowling performance came into the Second XI, 7-30, tell us about that, and what sort of bowler you are.

A5: That was at Highton, I was still pretty new to bowling leg spin, Russ brought me on to bowl and my first ball was an awful long hop that got smacked straight to Heath Middleton at deep mid-wicket who took a great catch. In the huddle I remember Russ saying I was going to have a day out if I could get a wicket with a shit ball like that!!! (Battler reference Number 2.) From that moment on I felt like I was going to get a wicket every ball. I bowl leggies (or fast straight breaks), I get more drift and dip than I do spin which can help me out with LBW's and bowling batters, especially early in a spell.

Q6: You played in four premiership winning teams, one in the Thirds, three in the Seconds, the last of those as captain when you were dubbed Fleet the Magician, what’s the story behind that?

A6: All four flags were great, but that 2005/06 season was amazing. Sorry but this will be a long story.
We had struggled for the first half of the year and the equation at Christmas was pretty simple; if we want to play finals, win every game, and hope results go our way. It was all going to plan until the second last game of the season when we lost to East Belmont. In the end though, that loss won us the grand final. We only got about 120 and overnight East were cruising at 2-90 odd, the second week though, Scott Mullen went berserk with seven wickets all up and nearly won us the game. They passed us nine down and when they did, their wicket keeper stood up on the side lines and shouted, "Seasons over C#@$%'s". We took the last wicket and said we were going back in to try and reverse outright them, every one of us eye-balling their keeper as we walked into the rooms. I told the boys we have nothing to lose and that we were batting for 25 overs and declaring no matter what. We declared after 24 overs on four for about 180 after I was lucky enough to get 100no. We got about four wickets chasing the outright before they shut up shop, but after the game, the East captain told me they felt like they had lost the game.

We then had to win the last game against Newcomb outright, they knew it and they won the toss and sent us in, we declared at tea on about 185 odd then got to work, Ian Hastie got four wickets but we couldn't get the last two. I brought Chucky Clark on to just try something different and he took the two for the win in the last over of the day, we then set ourselves 20 overs to bat but declared on 163 off 14 overs when Chucky got his hundred, after that, everything worked. Scott Mullen got 6-15, Battler set a plan for their best bat and it only took two balls to get him (Battler reference Number 3) and we won outright setting up a first final with East Belmont.

The finals series seemed easy after that, I don't think we ever thought about losing after that, we chased down 167 against East Belmont in the first final, then defended 150 odd against St Joeys with Budget getting 5 wickets and then chased 167 against East in the Grand Final. I still think back at that seven-week period as my favourite time in cricket

Q7: Who is the best Two Blues batsman you have seen or played with?

A7: Really hard question but would have to say Ben Neville, his ability to make runs in big games was Freakish.

Q8: Who is the best Two Blues bowler you have seen or played with?

A8: The King - Gav Castle, his second spells bowling reverse swing at heat were incredible

Q9: You have had the honour of captaining the First XI, what are your memories of that?

A9: It was such an honour to captain the most successful club in Geelong. Even though it was in a really difficult time for the club, we had lost quite a few Senior players to Grovedale and had to play a lot of kids probably before they were ready, the hardest part about that year was that Stinton Oval was being resurfaced and we had to play all of our home games at the opposition on Sundays. We still managed to have a few really good wins though and see our younger players develop ahead of time. It was a really tough year but something I am still very proud of

Q10: Everyone has skipped the first nine questions to come to this one first because you captained him in a premiership winning side, so would have a whole book of Russell Mitchell stories. Let ‘em rip.

A10: Seriously, there are way too many, I have already referenced Battler a few times. I can recall my first playing memory of Russ. In my second game in the Twos at Queens Park Battler asked me to come into the slips with Dev Royce and himself. After about three balls Russ told me I should play Kamikaze slips with them. For the next over I had to shut my eyes as the bowler let the ball go and listen for the nick, scariest thing I've done on a cricket field and I have no idea if they had their eyes shut or not.

March 2020

Two Blues - Junior Flags

4 Grand Finals & 3 Premierships for the Junior Two Blues in 2019/20

Last weekend saw the culmination of all our junior program efforts with a tremendous set of results for the Two Blues.

We had already clinched one U15 T20 premiership a fortnight earlier with our N&CCC Cambridge team defeating St Joseph’s in a grand final.

March 7&8th was grand final weekend for our Saturday U13, U15 & U17 teams.

Our U13 Beaumont division team, N&CCC Royce, made a real charge through the semi finals & final and comprehensively knocked over Lara in their grand final.  After day 1 (Sat) our team was in a commanding position, scoring 1/99 off its first 26 overs and having Lara 6/50.  Max (14no), Samuel (23 no), Hugh (21) & Jacob (22no) led the charge with the bat.  Sunday morning came along and the bowlers and fielders all did their job superbly and cleaned up Lara for 82 runs in 32 overs and we didn’t need to go in and bat again. Jacob, James, Gabby, Malik & Edward did the damage with the ball.   A big congratulations to all the players & their coach, Ben Harmon.  It was a great lesson in man management all season, never with more than 10 players at their disposal.  Thanks also to our sub fielders who came in from another Sat morning team to help out.  A number of these players will be graduating to U15s and we look forward to them taking the next step in their junior cricket with the Two Blues.

Our U15 Emond team, N&CCC Taylor, were up against ladder leaders, St Peter’s in their grand final being hosted at Carey Oval.  Our boys were travelling steadily at around 1/50.  Sam Johannes (18)  and Lewis Povey (50 retired) gave us a solid platform at the top but unfortunately the middle order didn’t fire up as was hoped.  We scratched our way to 9/142 off 55 overs with Max Franklin and Braiden Grundell putting on a late burst of runs that gave us something to defend.  Sunday morning saw the team with ball in hand but St Peter’s managed to get the total with 3/143 off 40 overs.  Regardless of the grand final match result, it was a thoroughly impressive effort by our 2 U15 teams this year.  They trained as a squad all year and we went through the whole season without forfeiting a single match, which was quite an achievement given the number of APS kids we have in our ranks.  We saw a lot of development throughout the entire playing group and their affinity with the club continues to grow, which all bodes well for the health of our U17 and seniors programs into the future.  A massive thank you to all the parents, helpers and the prinicipal coaches in Ian, Alg & Rocket for all their efforts.

Our U17 team, playing in the Everett division grand final, was fortunate enough to essentially have their entire playing group available for the first time this season.   We had come through a nail biting semi final victory and then were up against East Belmont, ladder leaders, in the final.  Day 1 saw a very disciplined bowling and fielding effort restrict East Belmont to all out for 108…with particular mention to Noah Guida for his 3/22 off 12 overs.  Sunday morning came along and Baxter Bingham (51)  and Tom Thiele (24) put together the match winning partnership and Noah Guida iced it with a quick fire 13 runs at the end which saw our lads take out the flag with a score of 4/110 off 35 overs.  A big well done and congratulations to Cooper & Will for coaching & teaching this playing group all season and also to Mark Sanders in his capacity as team manager and all of the administrative juggling act he performed with a constant revolving door of player availability.  For a number of our players this was essentially their last taste of junior cricket and we were very happy, proud and relieved that they could go out as champions.  Well done and best wishes to you all with your senior cricket at the Two Blues into the future!

April 2020

An Appointment with The Doc

Newtown and Chilwell Cricket Club is excited to announce that gifted all-rounder Shane Murdoch will be the coach for the 2020/2021 season. “This is a special announcement for our club,” said President Tom Levick.
“As one of our most consistent players in recent seasons, Shane already has the respect of the playing group, the whole of the club in fact. “He also has a great knowledge of the game, and the capacity to pass that knowledge on in a forthright but always positive way.”

The 34-year-old Shane Murdoch, who replaces respected veteran Shane Franklin, joined the Two Blues for the 2017/2018 season and had an immediate impact, joining the select group of First XI cricketers to have passed 150. Since then, he has averaged close to 30 with the bat and has proven himself a handy change bowler, either with left-arm medium pace of finger spin.

“I am super-excited to be appointed the coach of such a great club,” Shane said.
“Because we have such a young group, I have taken on this job because I don’t want the players to have the pressure of impressing someone new to the club. “The potential is there with the players we have, I want them to focus next summer on enjoying our cricket as a group, and if we achieve that, then it follows that the club will be doing well.
“I want everyone to train hard so that they perform well on a weekly basis, knowing that they have the full support of the coach because, if they put in, I will back them.”

The club is backing Shane Murdoch to take a talented playing group to a new level. “Shane will have the all-of-club focus that we want, but with our hard wicket sides all making finals, and two winning premierships, we will be looking to him to have impact with our turf teams,” Tom Levick said. “We are a club that welcomes newcomers, but at the same time wishes to develop and promote players from within, particularly through our junior programs. “Shane fits into both those categories, he was a newcomer, and an impressive one, just a few summers ago, but has become such an integral part of the club that we can proudly say with this appointment, that we are promoting someone who is well and truly a Two Blue person.”

Newtown and Chilwell Cricket Club passed a significant milestone in the truncated 2019/2020 season – the first club in the GCA to reach 100 premierships – 60 in senior cricket and 40 in the juniors. “Those premierships in the summer just gone, as well as bringing up our century, tell us we have a great base from which to build for the future,” Tom Levick said.
“Shane Murdoch will play in key role in that building process.”

The club is also pleased to confirm that Dylan Hodge will be the First XI captain next season.

News Archive