Several Premier Cricket guns and a paceman are leading the NSW charge in Darwin’s Premier Cricket competition

For most Sydney cricketers, winter is a chance to kickback and cheer their favourite footy team. But with the rise of Darwin cricket, many have headed north in search of higher honours. Here’s five chasing their dreams in the Top End.

Along with its laconic lifestyle and proximity to the world famous Kakadu, Darwin can now lay claim to being cricket‘s hidden gem.

Coupled with dry winters and top class competitions, for cricket mad southerners, the Top End is a legitimate off season alternative.

To Sydney’s best, the winter migration might be old news, but it has now become a serious stage for those chasing higher honours.

Sydney stars taking on Darwin cricket. Pictures: Contributed

Mosman Cricket Club president, Bernie Smith, said Matt Calder from last season’s premiership winning first grade side and Lachlan Roughly are currently plying their trade in the far north.

“Mosman’s association with the Darwin Cricket Club goes back at least 10 years. We’ve had guys going up there every year,” he said.

“They return better players, it’s great for the club and with the complications of Covid it’s far easier than travelling to England.

“And for guys of Matt’s calibre, there are now opportunities to impress BBL scouts.”

They are thoughts shared by Fairfield-Liverpool Cricket Club in Sydney’s west.

“Our boys enjoy it up there and the standard is high. Raveesh Srivastava just captained Nightcliff to the T20 title, he scored over 600 runs for us last summer and was named in the Sydney First-Grade Team of the Year,” said club president Matthew Starr.

Nightcliff Cricket Club 2022 T20 premiership winners Lto R: Param Uppal, Raveesh Srivastava and Mansukh Singh, 21 July 2022. Picture contributed.

For interstate players, the lure of friendly traffic and crocodile cruisers is one thing. But cricket in Darwin, what‘s all the fuss?

Former Sydney cricketer Murali Varatharajan knows the system better than most. Now president of Darwin based Nightcliff Cricket Club, he’s lived the evolution for more than a decade.

Juggling family and business commitments in Brisbane, Varatharajan typifies the Territory’s transient lifestyle and is nimble enough to entice would-be cricketing imports.

“The level of play has gone from strength-to-strength since the import quota in first grade was increased from four to six,” he said.

“Including second-grade, each club can now have 10 imports. From Sydney alone, this season we have recruits from Fairfield-Liverpool, Sydney University, St George and Gordon.

“We offer basic assistance with flights, cover uniform costs and provide contacts for employment. However, we still need to support the grassroots.”

But with 22 tons already in the top-grade books this season, the figures suggest the Territory is little more than a bowler‘s graveyard.

“Darwin can be tough for bowlers, especially for the local boys when they come up against batsmen on the cusp of first-class level,” Murali said before cheerfully adding.

“Part of the solution comes down to recruitment strategy. Most sides try to strike a balance of four batters and two bowlers.

“This year we got a bonus with Caelan Maladay from Sydney Uni. He’s not only a first-grade opening bowler, he’s our curator, so there’s always a little extra spice in the wicket.”

But alongside increased quotas, the advent of the Strike League from the Cricket 365 program has seen local sides leverage from the influx of elite talent. Now in its second year, the league merges rising short-form talent with established BBL stars. This season includes the likes of T20 international D’Arcy Short and Sydney Sixers championship winning coach Greg Shipperd.

For Murali, the introduction of Strike makes the local competition even stronger.

“Talent on the BBL fringe are drawn to the Strike League, and because there’s little overlap with the local comp they can play both competitions – that’s up to four days a week of cricket.

“So with big names in the mix, that leads to an inevitable rise in the standard of the local competition,” he said.

So how is the Top End treating the Sydney boys? We look at a handful, and welcome feedback if there’s more we should know about.

Matt Calder

Darwin Cricket Club | Mosman

Calder’s 365 runs at 45.6 last summer helped Mosman break its 83-year premiership drought. Now the hard hitting right-hander sits third on the Darwin list for runs scored. His 486 runs at 48.6 includes a slashing 118 off 93 balls that included five maximums. Known for his silky hands, he has backed up Darwin’s tireless attack with nine catches.

Lachlan Roughly

PINT Cricket Club | Mosman

A young leg spinner from Mosman’s second grade and Poidevin-Gray Shield sides, Lachlan has held his own against tough opposition. With 11 wickets at 27, he sits 14th on the wicket-takers list and has shown just as much fight with the blade. His 162 runs at 20.3 across all formats includes a 59 made from the No. 9 position.

Yuvraj Sharma

Nightcliff Cricket Club | Fairfield – Liverpool

Batting at first-drop, Yuvraj has scored 287 runs at an average of 35.9 with one score above fifty. The right-armer’s leggies have yielded an impressive 14 wickets at 18.1. In a season best performance, Sharma rocked PINT with an all-round masterclass. Setting up the match with 6-40 from 10 overs, he then guided his side to a comfortable seven-wicket victory to finish 49 not out.

Nightcliff Cricket Club 2022 T20 premiership winning captain Raveesh Srivastava, 21 July 2022. Picture contributed.

Raveesh Srivastava

Nightcliff Cricket Club | Fairfield – Liverpool

Usually a wicket keeper, Srivastava has parted ways with the gloves in the Top End to focus with the bat. In addition to captaining Nightcliff to its first T20 title since 2010, the respected right-hander has scored 261 runs at 32.6 per innings with three fifties in all formats. In the T20 semi final, the Fairfield – Liverpool dasher charged to an unbeaten 61 off just 40 balls to help end Palmerston’s campaign.

Caelan Maladay

Nightcliff Cricket Club | Sydney University Cricket Club

When he’s not behind the heavy roller, the right-arm quick has been collecting poles. Across all formats, Maladay has 26 wickets at 25.2, and his 20 in the Premier League rank third on the list. A hard hitting lower order bat, the Sydney Uni slugger showed great restraint in the T20 grand final against Tracy Village. Finishing 16 not out in an unbeaten seventh wicket partnership of 75, the right-hander helped Nightcliff to a championship winning 241.