Durham professional Mia Rogers strikes back-to-back half centuries for Geelong
A County professional and new Geelong recruit has revealed she nearly walked away from the game after being brutally cut several years ago.
There was a period of time when Durham professional cricketer and Geelong recruit Mia Rogers thought her career was over, at any level.
After being cut by UK women’s domestic team Sunrisers after three seasons, the keeper-batter starting thinking about other options and began working out of the Rajasthan Royals’ London office.
“I actually had a summer out of the game, the Sunrisers let me go and I thought that was the end of my cricket journey,” Rogers said.
“It was like: ‘you’re not someone we want to invest in’.
“But you’ve got to remember your worth is not defined by other people’s opinions.”
However, for some time, Rogers thought about giving the sport away for good.
“Because I’m an extremely competitive person, I was thinking if I’m not playing cricket at the highest level, I think I would get really frustrated,” she said.
“If I was only going to be an amateur, I’d prefer to do different sports.
“Whereas if it was a professional route, cricket was where I wanted to go.”
While she was “really really uspet” by the Sunrisers’ feedback, it suddenly dawned on her she wasn’t finished with the sport.
“About two months into working in an office I was like: ‘Oh my gosh, I really miss playing cricket’,” she said.
“So I had this amazing batting coach who trained me at 7am before work, then I’d get into the office at nine.
“That (axing) did take a massive hit on my confidence.
“It’s very easy now, you look back and go it all happened for a reason, it helped get me where I am today.”
Also working in her favour was a restructure of the County system which would create further opportunities, and with Rogers heading back to Durham for the final year of her politics, philosophy and economics studies, and Durham CC becoming a tier one club, the stars aligned.
“Somebody was looking down on me and saying this is going to work out somehow,” she said.
So after completing a 10-week trial with Durham, she flew out to Australia for the holidays and went to the Boxing Day Test last December with her Berkshire teammate Holly Rider.
Rider had been staying with Geelong coach Steve Field’s son Lachie, after he and Meika King had played at her UK club of Falkland in 2024.
There were initial discussions that day between Rogers and Field senior, but when she inked a two-year rookie deal with Durham Cricket in February – her maiden full-time professional contract – an official arrangement with the Cats was struck for the 2025-26 Premier season.
Rogers would make her debut with the Cats against Carlton in the 50-over competition in early November, before striking 85 against Melbourne and then 50 off 51 rocks on Sunday versus Prahran in successive games.
Rogers has been something of a cricketing nomad, with stints at Berkshire, Middlesex, Kent and the MCC, after starting her cricket career playing with the junior boys at Henley CC — two hours’ drive west of London.
In fact, her mother started up the inaugural girls program at the Henley-on-Thames club.
At Kardinia Park, Rogers follows in the footsteps of UK imports Caitlin Burnett, Amelie Munday and Jamie Porter who have played at Kardinia Park in recent seasons.
Meanwhile, Berkshire product Izabella Storrar is playing with Geelong City in the GCA’s A Grade competition: “I feel like I’m back with my Berkshire roots which is really sweet.”
Rogers is also a talented lacrosse player – representing the country at an under-23 level – but ultimately chose cricket.
“(Cricket’s) like a game of cat and mouse, a big game of chess and you’ve got to make the right moves at the right time,” she said.
“And being a keeper as well, I love that you’re right in the battle of everything.
“It’s a lovely lovely group of girls (at Geelong), I feel like they’re building something quite special.”
On Sunday, the Cats posted 8-236 batting first with Bronte Leishman top scoring (61) and support from Mia Perrin (23).
In reply, the home team lost wickets at regular intervals and were 4-106 off 22.2 overs and well behind the required run rate under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method when rain intervened – with Jess Field returning the figures of 2-21.
Meanwhile, Geelong’s first grade men got home on the second-last ball in a thrilling conclusion to their opening T20 fixture over Carlton at Kardinia Park, which was reduced to a 16-over affair.
Chasing 139, the Cats were guided home by a brilliant half-century to Eamonn Vines, with 61 not out off 25 including three boundaries and five sixes.
The former Shield cricketer took 20 off the first five balls of the final over from captain Evan Gulbis.
Six Geelong underage players picked for Country Victoria
Geelong’s depth will be tested next weekend when it loses six of its best younger players through the grades to the under-19 national championships which starts on Monday in Perth.
All-rounder Zane Attard, who made his first grade debut in Round 4 against Richmond, Lincoln Koliba, Liam Biddiscombe, Ted Bain, Nathan Harper and Josh Slater have all been picked in the Country Victorian team for the eight-day carnival which runs until December 8.
Koliba was leading the club’s second grade batting aggregate coming into Round 6 – making 39 on Saturday against Kingston Hawthorn – while Grovedale product Harper has taken a team-high of nine wickets at 21.33 apiece, along with Oliver Haberfield who has since been promoted to the ones and impressed.
Meanwhile, Bain was second on the third grade batting aggregate (206 runs at 41.2) and Biddiscombe third (195 at 195).
It comes as teenage Torquay recruit Patrick Sullivan has continued his strong form since being promoted into the twos with 3-29 off 10 overs on Saturday, ensuring a first grade debut on Sunday against Carlton in a T20 fixture.
On Saturday, captain Josh Larkin returned to form with an unbeaten 69 at first drop in an eight-wicket victory over Kingston Hawthorn at Walter Galt Reserve, breaking a run of three losses in succession.
Batting first, the home team compiled 5-174 off a weather-reduced 32 overs with Josh Garner leading the way with 4-56.
And the Cats made light work of the chase with the returning Liam Blackford continuing his hot form with 85 off just 72 deliveries at the top of the list.
After the loss of opener Nathan Caulfield without scoring, Blackford combined with Larkin for a 140-run stand for the second wicket.
Ash Armstrong once again chipped in with an another unbeaten hand, this time 14, and has a batting average of 129 having been dismissed only once from four innings.
Larkin said he had benefited from some fruitful discussions with senior coach Eamonn Vines after an opening few rounds featuring a few starts (26, 14, 43) but without a telling score.
“More trying to work mentally more than technically,” Larkin said if he had tweaked anything during pre-season.
“I’m 26 now so I’ve got a technique that I trust.
“Having conversations with Eamonn about how I’d go about certain things has been I guess an eye opener over the last coupleof weeks.
“That’s the beauty of cricket though isn’t it, you can feel unbelievable and then get an absolute seed of a ball first up, and then the next innings you get dropped and make 50.”
Larkin said the club had benefited from a focus on mental health and resilience, with Attard speaking publicly about his work in the mindfulness and meditation space.
“With such a young group at the club, I think having those discussion about how you can take your game to the next level (is important),” he said.
“You train on all your skills and whatnot but it’s also trying to think tactically and conserving all your mental energy is really good for a young group.”
Larkin praised the hot form of Blackford, who returned to the Cats after playing for a Cricket Australia XI against the England Lions – he made 86 at number five – to smack seven boundaries and three sixes.
“Yesterday he was unbelievable, just timing the absolute cover off the ball, batted smart and hit some really big bombs as well which was exciting to watch down from the other end,” he said.
“He did well against the English Lions, so it was bloody awesome for him to get those experiences.”
Larkin said Armstrong’s dedication at training was starting to pay off.
“He’s been fantastic for the group,” he said.
“He has a lot of experience and to see him actually get reward for the amount of work he does at training (is great) ... he gets there a good hour beforehand, gets his throwdowns, works his bottom off.
“It’s all finally starting to click for him which is fantastic.”
He said the club hoped to see the return of bowler Kieren Helwig after being managed the past three matches.
“Touch and go I’d say, he didn’t quite get up and going for this week,” he said.
“Obviously he’s a massive player for our team, so the quicker we can get him in the better.”
Ash Armstrong grabs his opportunity
The birth of his son and some family tragedy earlier this year gave Geelong batter Ashley Armstrong a dose of perspective before a breakthrough innings on Saturday.
Armstrong’s 66 was a highlight on an otherwise forgettable day as the Cats went down by six wickets to Richmond at Central Reserve, their third game in succession in Premier cricket.
Playing without Ollie Peake due to Sheffield Shield duties, Liam Blackford (Cricket Australia XI) and an injured Callum Stow, Armstrong top scored in Geelong’s 8-203 off 50 overs.
Scoring 20 not out at number eight last round against Melbourne, Armstrong was promoted to four for the Round 5 clash after the Cats won the toss and elected to bat.
In early trouble at 2-28, the former Footscray batter and skipper Josh Larkin (43) combined for a 97-run stand for the third wicket before Lachie Field (28) and first grade debutant Zane Attard (15 not out) chipped in.
However, Geelong would lose 3-8 after reaching stability at 4-161.
The home team would reel in Geelong’s target with relative ease and five overs remaining with Attard (1-40 off 10), Arjun Sehrawat, Josh Garner and Lachlan Neate all taking a wicket each.
Armstrong, a Bacchus Marsh-based carpenter, crossed to Kardinia Park from Footscray before the 2024-25 season to play eight first grade games with minimal impact.
With a lasting connection with Geelong coach Jake Brown, Armstrong saw the perfect place in Kardinia Park to breath fresh air into his career.
“I played for a long time at Footscray and probably things had gone a little bit stale there, I was just looking for sort of a new environment, something a bit more positive and a bit of a refresh,” Armstrong said.
“I love it down there (at Geelong) .... it’s a very positive environment, a lot of good people around.”
After a strong start to the summer with scores of 43 against Ringwood and 70 versus Prahran in second grade, Armstrong had to be patient before getting a call up to the ones.
“You try and push your case but it’s tricky when you’ve got guys like ‘Peakey’ and ‘Blacky’,” he said.
“I bided my time a little bit ... last year I couldn’t make a run.
“I started off this year OK and just been waiting for an opportunity, so it was nice to get that yesterday and get a few away.”
However, Armstrong admits a dose of perspective outside of the game – son Archer was born just before Christmas – and the trust of senior coach Eamonn Vines, had helped in year two at Kardinia Park.
“I probably did some things that maybe didn’t benefit my game as much,” Armsrong said of last summer, who has travelled from Bacchus Marsh for games for many Premier seasons.
“’Vinesy’ just said during the off-season: ‘I want you to do what you need to do ... you know what you need to get out of training and preparation’,” he said.
“Just a few little things outside of cricket, like having a little fella (Archer) and we lost my nephew early in the year this year.
“Just a few little things like that probably gives you some perspective on the importance of cricket.
“Stuff that happens with life outside of cricket, plus the backing of Vinesy, just to have the confidence in me to do what I need to do.”
Armstrong said he didn’t really doubt his decision to change clubs, despite a lack of runs in 24-25.
“I still felt like it was the right decision the whole way around,” he said.
“Sometimes it just maybe takes a little bit longer to eventuate, going to a new club and a new environment you put a little bit more pressure on yourself to prove yourself again and maybe go away from what you do well.
“The telltale sign for me was probably having the worst year that I’ve had in Premier cricket last year, and then knowing there was no doubt I was going back again this year and have a crack down there.
“I see myself down there for a long time yet, so never any doubt it was the right move.”
Patrick Sullivan stars on second grade debut for Geelong
After a few seasons impacted by back issues, a young Geelong bowler is starting to seriously emerge in his first summer at Kardinia Park.
Making his second grade debut on Saturday against Melbourne at the Albert Ground, Torquay product Patrick Sullivan took the exceptional figures of 4-21 off 10 overs in a six-wicket win.
Under the guidance of esteemed fast bowling coach and director and founder of Bowlstrong, Dr Simon Feros, the 16-year-old has created a sustainable action which is yielding results.
Sullivan joined the Cats after playing 10 first grade games with the Tigers in GCA2, with the best figures of 2-23 off 15 overs against the eventual premier, Lara.
“Coming off a few seasons with lumbar back injuries, it’s thrilling to have the success I’ve had so far this season,” Sullivan said on Monday.
“Simon gives me guidance into the things I need to fix in my action so that I can bowl fast without hurting my back and then I just go and work hard on them in the winter whether it’s in the gym or it’s light weight bowling with a foam ball.”
Dr Feros is a functional anatomy and strength and conditioning sciences lecturer at Deakin University and has strong ties with Cricket Australia and Victoria, conducting research in the context of pace bowling.
He said Sullivan was previously at greater risk of lumbar bone stress injuries, but had improved his pace by around 20km/h since they began working together from March last year.
“In terms of peak bowling speed, he’s gone from 105 km/h to 125 km/h,” Dr Ferros said.
“He has worked incredibly hard on his bowling, so he deserves a lot of credit for his success.”
“I primarily see a lot of adolescent male and female fast bowlers who are looking to play Premier, state, or national cricket.
“Most are based in Victoria, but some travel from interstate or overseas (in New Zealand). I also help bowlers online from all parts of the world.”
Along with Feros’ work, Sullivan credits former Torquay senior coach Leigh Kentish and current player Ash Russell for his development before shifting to Kardinia Park during the off-season.
“(He) has been a great mentor for me helping with my general cricket mindset and strategy,” he said of Kentish.
“I’ve known Leigh as long as I’ve known anyone in the Geelong region as he was a teacher at my primary school.
“Leigh has taught me to take responsibility for my cricket and to always strive for the highest. “I love the way Leigh thinks about cricket being a past Premier player, he encourages me to be confident and to always understand that I’m responsible for my cricket.”
Meanwhile, Sullivan, who was recently named in the under-17 Country Victorian team, said there were nerves ahead of his second grade debut for Geelong as the Albert is known for its flat wicket and high scores.
“So as the opening bowler, I expected to go for a bit of runs to be honest,” he said.
“But then I started to get into a bit of a rhythm and gained a bit of confidence which rewarded me with a bit of good fortune in the end.
“I felt they came out pretty well on Saturday as I was able to just hit my line and length and stay patient.
“I felt that my preparation was crucial for my figures, I’ve put a bit of work into a pre-match routine to ensure I’m ready for ball one with the new ball so I think that has really helped be on from the start.”
Now at Geelong, fast bowling coach Justin Jaensch and thirds captain Josh Mastin have played an important role, with Sullivan previously playing for the Cats in the under-16 Dowling Shield last summer.
Sullivan won his way into the twos after taking six wickets at 13 from three games in thirds, with the best figures of 3-22 off 11 against Camberwell.
“I think to be around a professional club with players who are striving to be the best cricketers they can be was big for me in moving to Premier cricket this year,” he said.
“It’s often said that if you hang around great cricketers, it’s easier to become one which is why I felt like Geelong was the right place for me.
“I’m absolutely loving playing at Geelong Cricket Club so far with the group being so young and destined to improve.
“The club has had an awesome start to the season across all grades so it’s awesome to be around the club with a great vibe.”
Sullivan now has aspirations of becoming a leader himself.
“I believe I can take my cricket to a high level so I think learning off the more experienced guys at the club such as (senior coach) Eamonn Vines has been big for my success so far this season,” he said.
“I see myself as a future leader and captain so learning off of the senior guys is definitely going to help me become the player I want to be.”
Geelong keeper-batter to play against the England Lions
Geelong keeper-batter Liam Blackford continues to put two testing summers behind him after being picked in a national representative team to take on the Andrew Flintoff-coached England Lions from Friday.
Blackford missed the entire 2023-24 season due to a complex arm injury and struggled for runs last summer as he adjusted to a return to cricket.
However, after an opening round 113 against Ringwood at Kardinia Park, Blackford will now take the field alongside three-Test quick Jhye Richardson at Lilac Hill against England’s A team in a first class match from November 21.
An additional Test squad member will be added to the CA team which features international cricketer Jake Fraser-McGurk.
Blackford, who is currently contracted with Victoria, top scored for Geelong with 44 at first drop on Saturday, in addition to an unbeaten 45 for Victoria’s second XI against Tasmania last month.
The club’s director of cricket, Travis Agg, was thrilled to see Blackford get the first class opportunity.
“We are very excited for Liam, to be recognised for what he can contribute with the gloves and bat against the English Lions is a real tick for what he brings to the table,” Agg said.
“After effectively two extremely challenging seasons for him to know he’s so highly valued is brilliant.
“We can’t wait to see him play and contribute.”
However, on Saturday, Geelong’s 138 (Ollie Peake 29, Ash Armstrong 20 not out) was miles short of Melbourne’s 9-279 (LachlanNeate 2-55, Josh Larkin 2-49, Josh Garner 2-53) in Round 4 of Premier cricket.
In-form Shield opener Campbell Kellaway hit 57 while state keeper Sam Harper top scored with 94.
Geelong has slipped from fifth to ninth on the table after back-to-back losses.
However, it was a much brighter story in second grade with debutant Patrick Sullivan taking an impressive 4-21 off 10 overs against Melbourne in a six-wicket victory at the Albert Ground, finishing the round in third place.
Sullivan, who crossed to Geelong from Torquay during the off-season, partnered with Grovedale product Nathan Harper (4-63) as the home side was dismissed for 185 batting first.
All-rounder Zane Attard continued his strong form after last round’s four-for against Prahran with 34 not out while Cody Brogden (46), Santhosh Ramireddy (28), Fletcher Cozens (25 not out) and Ryan Aikman (24) all got starts.
And in third grade, the unbeaten Geelong recovered from being 4-9 to eventually post 6-214.
Josh Mastin (78 not out) and Corey Paull (74) came together at 5-23 to post a 162-run matchwinning stand.
The Cats would later roll Melbourne for just 149 (Kyle Bienefelt (3-21), Ted Bain (2-37) and Toby Cunningham (2-36) and are a win clear on top of the ladder.
In fourths, Geelong had a comfortable six-wicket victory thanks to a fine all-round game from Oscar Agg.
The Cats chasing down 190 for victory (Agg 64, Brodie Craig 50, Clinton Peake 33 not out, Agg 4-22 off nine, Jaryd Antonenko 2-27).
Mindfulness and meditation helps young Geelong all-rounder
A renewed focus on improving its red ball form is paying off for an injury-impacted Geelong Cricket Club so far this summer, as it looked to elevate a pair of promising players on Saturday before rain intervened.
So far in the Premier season, there have been echoes from last summer: a 2-1 start after a pair of commanding victories and three century makers — this time in keeper-batter Liam Blackford, coach Eamonn Vines and all-rounder Arjun Sehrawat.
And it’s come with key bowlers Callum Stow (back) and Tom Neate (tricep) sidelined with injury and young gun Ollie Peake limited to just one game due to Sheffield Shield duties.
The club’s director of cricket, Travis Agg, said Stow’s chief ambition was to make himself available for the Renegades’ BBL season, with GMHBA Stadium to host twin matches on December 15 and 21.
Meanwhile, Neate, who took 22 wickets at 19.14 last summer, is planning to return for Round 5 after a kitchen mishap.
However, a major plus with the rock has been the form of Alexander Thomson product Kieren Helwig, currently equal second on the Premier wicket aggregate with seven at 23 apiece.
Like Neate, Helwig suffered a random injury in his bowling stride last summer.
Then there’s coach Vines stroking his first century with Geelong since returning from Tasmania and Arjun Sehrawat maintaining his fine form of 24-25 to shape as the club’s most important player.
Agg said Liam Blackford’s opening century against Ringwood at Kardinia Park was a reflection of the growth of a young group after last summer’s 12th place.
“Trying to unearth bowlers has been a bit of a focus as well, knowing that Tom Neate wasn’t going to play the first few games,” Agg said.
“Ollie Haberfield was going to debut this weekend.
“We know taking 10 wickets without ‘Stowy’ and Neate currently playing is always going to be a challenge in red ball cricket.
“But I reckon we’ve navigated that pretty well in the short term.
“As a group we’re able to shoulder the load a little bit more and not just rely on one or two players to make runs every week.”
Haberfield had earned a first grade debut on Saturday against Melbourne with nine wickets at 20.89 in the twos.
“He’s a good story, he started off in the fourths a couple of years ago and has basically been patient, listened to the coaches, worked on his game,” Agg said.
“He’s just a good person more than anything ... and gets the rewards as well, we love him.”
However, Agg said there had been a focus on the fundamentals and red ball cricket during the pre-season, following a 2-5 win-loss record in the two-day competition last summer
“We definitely focused a bit more heavily ... on how to play red ball cricket,” Agg said.
“Red ball cricket was an area that if we were able to perform better in ... our position on the ladder would definitely reflectthat.
“It’s easier to go from red ball to white ball than it is to have a whole focus on white ball for the first game of the year then you go into three red ball games, we kind of looked at it a bit differently.”
Meanwhile, Agg was also pleased to see some strong form through the grades, after the twos (15th), threes (14th) and fours (10th) had rough seasons in 24-25.
Haberfield, Lincoln Koliba (148 runs at 49.3), North Geelong product Liam Biddiscombe – currently averaging 195 – and Paawan Sharma (nine wickets at 12.78) have enjoyed strong starts.
Club legend Clinton Peake is helping guide fourth grade, playing alongside his son Charlie who top scored with an unbeaten 67 against Camberwell.
“We probably haven’t had that stability in the fourth eleven for a couple of years,” Agg said.
Meanwhile, teenage players in Barrabool product Hamish Craig, Lachlan Russell, Charlie Mahncke (Wendouree) and Patrick Sullivan (Torquay) have been named in the under-17 Country Victorian team ahead of the national championships in Brisbane from January 5.
Sullivan, who joined Geelong during the off-season, has taken six wickets at 13 so far this summer in thirds.
“He was going to play in the twos this round ... we like everything about Pat,” Agg said.
Agg said there had been a subtle change in approach to selection.
“We’ve got really good players in the threes that could be playing twos that we think can be playing ones in six to 12 months time,” he said.
“We’re just trying to build an environment where there’s competition for spots but at the same time, we want you to be able to dominate the level you’re playing in so that when you go up, you’re up for a long time and you’re not just in for one or two and back down.
“In the past we’ve probably played players out of their level and it’s exposed them and potentially set them back.
“We’re taking a bit more of a conservative approach to let them dominate at a level and then have all of that confidence.
“It’s probably been a little bit of a shift with how we do things.”
Tom Neate aims to be back for Round 5
It was an innocuous cut to the elbow in the kitchen back in March that Geelong opening bowler Tom Neate didn’t think too much about at the time.
However, it would set in train a series of events that would keep him sidelined until, hopefully, a return to the playing field on November 22 against Richmond in Round 5 of the Premier season.
Neate, the grandson of champion Tasmanian woodchopper, Bill Youd, had produced a breakout summer in 2024-25 with 22 wickets at just 19.14 apiece.
But this summer has been delayed after Neate discovered he needed surgery after accidentally leaning on a glass food container.
“It was a bit of a weird injury,” Neate told this masthead on Tuesday.
“It just happened at home, I unfortunately cut myself on a piece of glass on my elbow.
“I just lent on (the container) and it just crumbled into my arm, and to be honest it actually didn’t go that deep but when you think about your elbow, there’s not much fat or muscle, it’s really just skin and bone and the tricep tendon as well.
“It barely clipped it, it just felt like it just scratched the surface.
“I guess after that I went about life as normal for about six weeks.”
However, after spending time in the gym and running, things didn’t quite feel right, and after a scan he would decide to have surgery in early June.
“It was pinching a little bit,” Neate said.
“I got the results back and it wasn’t great.
“If you don’t get surgery you lose a bit of power in your tricep, so it was definitely a no-brainer for me to get that done.
“It was my non-dominant arm so it shouldn’t me impact me much at all really going forward.”
While he was able to keep studying physiotherapy at Vic Uni, Neate had to withdraw from his role with Geelong Grammar’s football program.
“It hasn’t been ideal, but you live and you learn,” he said.
“The first three months I wasn’t doing much to be honest.”
The club’s director of coaching, Travis Agg, had concerns Neate wouldn’t be back until after Christmas.
“I hadn’t quite been around the club that often, because there wasn’t much I could do,” he said.
“There was a bit of uncertainty about when I would be back.
“To be honest everything’s gone to plan so far.
“That’s the most important thing to me, being healthy and being able to do what I love doing.”
However, after completing about six weeks of bowling training – and fully involved in fielding and bowling over the past week – Neate is inching closer to a return.
“I’m a bit nervous to be honest because obviously I haven’t been doing competitive sport for a while,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say anxiety but just a little bit of nervous energy I guess because it’s pretty close now.
“Batting’s the one that’s been progressing slowly, given when you’re batting there’s a lot of force that goes through your tricep.”
Fortunately, Neate has enjoyed the unwavering tremendous support of his family, brother and teammate Lachie and mum Carey, who never misses a game and has become something of a the club’s official photographer.
“The support from my family has been really good ... they’ve spent a lot of time looking after me,” he said.
Speaking of family, Neate is the grandson of famous Tasmanian woodchopper, Bill Youd, who
won his first chopping event as a 16-year-old in 1955.
After retiring in 2000, Youd would reappear at 73 years of age at the Masters Games in 2012, and has become one of the greatest tree fellers in the sport’s history, winning 62 titles, including nine internationally and 19 in Australia.
His record of felling a tree in just one minute and 18 seconds at the 1982 Royal Melbourne Show remains unbeaten.
“He still chops to this day ... (and) very competitive still,” Neate said.
“He’s a good example for me and my family.”
Young Cat’s investment in the power of the mind
A personal investment into mindfulness and meditation is paying off for an emerging Geelong all-rounder who took career-best figures on Saturday, including a key wicket late to rout Prahran by 146 runs with just minutes left in the two-day match.
Ballarat product Zane Attard, who joined Geelong from VRI Delacombe before the 2022-23 season to play third grade and Dowling Shield with the Cats, grabbed 4-28 off 20 overs on Saturday after the Cats compiled 7-326 (Lincoln Koliba 93, Ashley Armstrong 70, Fletcher Cozens 40, Nathan Harper 32, Monty Moloney 23 not out).
Attard, who took 20 wickets at more than 40 apiece over the past two seasons in the twos, now has six at 21.33 after a pair of appearances at the crease — bettering his 4-25 against St Kilda in third grade in his maiden year at Geelong.
When asked what was behind his strong start to the season – including a 58-ball 50 for the under-19 Country Victoria team on October 1 – Attard said he had put a greater focus on the mental side of the sport.
The 19-year-old said he had made contact with paceman Brendan Rose at Richmond CC, while Geelong’s Georgia Hull had also helped in the mindfulness and meditation space.
“I’ve been putting a fair bit of work into that kind of thing, it’s paid off,” Attard said, who made 59 against Camberwell in Round 2 of the Premier season.
“You can be batting the best you ever have in the nets and then you get a better ball and they get you out.”
It’s why Attard has made an effort to focus only on the things he can control, and zone out at the right time during a game which requires patience as much as any other skill.
“96 overs is a long time to be switched on,” he said.
“I implement my routines between balls ... just to be in the zone when I need to and not waste any energy when I don’t.
“I feel like I’m probably playing the best I ever have to be honest,”
Attard, who is commuting from Buninyong and studying sports science and business at Deakin University, says Geelong’s main ground appears to be taking more spin after wicket table works by the local council last year.
It comes as Attard is one of six teenage Cats to be selected in the under-19 Country Victorian team ahead of the national championships, along with Grovedale product Harper, Koliba (Brown Hill), Josh Slater (Mortlake), Ted Bain (Newtown & Chilwell) and Liam Biddiscombe (North Geelong).
Biddiscombe stroked 130 in Round 2 against Camberwell third grade while Bain compiled 89 at first drop against Prahran threes last weekend.
However, on Saturday, Attard took the key wicket of Prahran keeper-batter Ollie Willett, leg before, who had looked immovable for his 57 in an 91-run stand with James Boyce (33 not out).
Harper would then take the final wicket, as Prahran attempted to draw the match, with around 10 minutes remaining in the day.
Attard and young gun Ollie Peake were the only Geelong players to be picked in an under-19 Country Victoria Emerging Players Squad last July.
Meanwhile, in first grade, Prahran passed Geelong’s healthy score of 337 (Eamonn Vines 117, Arjun Sehrawat 103) with five wickets in hand, with captain Josh Larkin grabbing 2-67.
In thirds, Geelong comfortably beat Prahran by 87 runs (Kyle Bienefelt 3-31, Paawan Sharma 3-45, Patrick Sullivan 2-28) after scoring 286 (Tom Courtney 56).
Eamonn Vines and Arjun Sehrawat combine for monster partnership
A club record 186-run seventh wicket partnership has spectacularly pulled Geelong out of the mire in Round 3 of the Premier competition against Prahran, as a rising star all-rounder and a veteran with Sheffield Shield experience combined.
The Cats had stumbled to 6-74 on Saturday at Toorak Park when captain Josh Larkin was dismissed, following the loss of returning young gun Ollie Peake for a three-ball duck.
However, senior coach Eamonn Vines (111 not out), who has slotted down to number six this season, combined with emerging all-rounder Arjun Sehrawat (103) for an innings-saving stand.
Vines, in his second year in charge at Kardinia Park, punched out his first ton for the Cats since returning from Tasmania for the 2023-24 Premier season, while 20-year-old Sehrawat struck his maiden ton at the level.
“We were in a really difficult situation against a quality opposition, it looked pretty dire,” Vines said on Sunday.
“The way (Sehrawat) batted turned the game for us.
“With his ability to score and be positive, it just allowed me to bat for a long period of time.”
Vines said with Prahran spinner Shenuka De Silva (3-79) removing Blackford, Larkin and Lachie Field in quick succession – losing 3-5 – Sehrawat counterattacked and played positively as the wicket got better to bat on, eventually posting 9-327 off its 96 overs.
Vines suggested Sehrawat – who can change a game with either bat or ball – was fast becoming Geelong’s most important player, with his spinners covering for the loss of Callum Stow with a back complaint.
Meanwhile, with the recent departure of veterans Hayden Butterworth (Leopold) and Josh McDonald (Thomson) to the GCA, Vines said a new core group was beginning to emerge.
“When your best players like Blackford and Peake miss out, we’re still able to put a total on board,” Vines said.
“(Something) I’d say in the past we haven’t been able to do.
“It’s a pleasing sign that things are trending in the right direction.”
After primarily opening for the Cats over the past two seasons, Vines is now coming in at number six, allowing Ryan Aikman and new recruit Nathan Caulfield a chance to cement a new partnership at the top.
Caulfield, who arrived at Kardinia Park from Footscray ahead of the Premier season, has scores of 84 and 25 from his past two digs.
“We’ve identified we’ve got some serious talent in that top order coming through the club,” he said.
“I felt like I could move out of position and allow these guys to show what they can do.
“At the same time, it kind of freshens me up a little bit.
“Yesterday was a completely new scenario for me ... but the main reason was to give these young guys and new guys more opportunity in ones cricket in the top order.”
Meanwhile, the club was hoping two of its leading bowlers in Tom Neate (tricep) and tweaker Stow (back) would return before Christmas.
In his second year as coach, Vines said he had learned to be more patient with the playing group, admitting he was occasionally frustrated by an inability to convert strong training standards into Saturday form.
“I thought last year that we were doing a lot of things right on the training track but it wasn’t really converting on game day,” he said.
“I think there were times last year I was getting frustrated, but now I actually have decided I can be patient as a coach, and throughout our grades we’re starting to see really positive individual results.”
It was Vines’ first hundred for the Cats upon his return, with the back half of the 23-24 season ruined by a dislocated kneecap sustained in a T20 match in December against St Kilda.
“I thought it was only going to be a couple of months lay-off, but it ended up becoming something closer to 10 months,” Vines said.
“It really knocked me about.
“Still now, I get a little bit of trouble with it. I’m not as nimble as I was, it causes a few issues here and there but I think that also comes with old age as well (laughs).”
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Josh Garner also chipped in with 34 off just 24 balls to provide the icing on the cake while Nathan Caulfield (25) and Liam Blackford (21), coming off an unbeaten 45 for Victoria’s second XI during the week, got starts.
Geelong speedster poised for return after back injury
Geelong fast bowler and Women’s Big Bash League star Milly Illingworth will return to the bowling crease next Tuesday, nearly 10 months after a “stress reaction” in her back prematurely ended her summer.
Illingworth, who grew up in Port Campbell, will turn out on Tuesday in the Spring Challenge for the Melbourne Renegades against the Brisbane Heat in Sydney.
The 20-year-old quick, who has broken the 120kmhr barrier, is also a chance of playing for Geelong in the Premier competition at some stage in 2025-26, depending on her bowling loads.
Illingworth had told this masthead at the Barwon Regional Cricket Centre back in July her recovery from a near stress fracture had been tracking well before she later faced another large hurdle in her recovery.
“I had a little bit of a setback, my bone edema came back,” Illingworth said.
“I had to take maybe the last two months off, which was a little bit of a setback but getting my body right was the most important thing.
“I spent a lot of time batting, and doing pilates and strengthening my core and my hips, obviously with my action it’s a very unique action.
“I just got a really good scan back (recently) so I’m actually going to be playing again on Tuesday.
“We’ll do some testing at the end of the off-season if there’s anything technically I can change that will put a little less load on my back.
“Everything’s heading in the right direction.”
She last played professional cricket back in January for Victoria in the WNCL against Western Australia.
Illingworth is one of five Geelong Cricket Club-aligned players – Ollie Peake, Callum Stow, Liam Blackford and Mia Perrin – who are state-contracted this summer.
Peake is currently playing for Victoria against New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield but Stow is currently sidelined with a back injury of his own.
While still based in Melbourne and recovering from injury, Illingworth still tried to get around the club as often as possible during the off-season.
Illingworth previously played with Essendon Maribyrnong Park before aligning herself with Geelong before the 24-25 season.
“I’m hoping later in the season, if my loads allow it, I’d love to get down and play a few games,” she said of a potential appearance with the Cats.
“I’d like to play as much cricket as I possibly can.”
Illingworth played for Australia at the under-19 World Cup before making her WBBL debut with the Melbourne Renegades and Victoria in the WNCL.
Geelong batter inches towards return after leg fracture
Geelong cricketer Caitlin Burnett is eyeing a return to play this weekend after a shock stress fracture in her leg which will require an amended running style.
Burnett, who first arrived from Cornwall before the 2022-23 GCA season to play with St Joseph’s’ A Grade team, would eventually make her way to Kardinia Park after a sensational debut season which yielded 759 runs with the Joeys.
Burnett would come fourth in the Cats’ runs aggregate in 23-24 (173 runs at 21.63) with a top score of 76 against Plenty Valley.
After two seasons with the Cats, Burnett spent her first Australian winter Down Under in 2025 and decided to have a kick with Bell Park Soccer Club as a left back.
However, midway through the season the 26-year-old began to suffer what she thought was a calf strain.
When standard treatment didn’t change anything, Burnett was forced to have an MRI which revealed a stress fracture in her fibula and required six weeks in a moonboot.
“It was definitely weird, it’s the only injury I’ve ever really had,” Burnett said on Monday, who has County level experience with Cornwall.
“I’ve been back training a bit so I’ve been batting. I’m looking to do more of a full session this week and maybe play this weekend.
“I went to a physiologist on Friday and it turns out I’ve just been using my calves too much when I run and not enough of my glutes.”
Burnett will undertake a tailored program which will amend her running style to avoid similar injuries in the future.
“I need to correct my running and strengthen my glutes,” Burnett said, who began working at SEDA College around June this year as an EA.
“Whether I can play whilst I’m doing that is to be worked out.”
Meanwhile, Burnett is hoping to stay in the country permanently and will apply for a partner visa with boyfriend Jack Williams involved at Geelong Cricket Club.
Geelong spin star sidelined with back issue
New Geelong recruit Nathan Caulfield says the commitment from injured spin star Callum Stow to still be around the team on Saturday is upholding the values set down by the club’s leadership.
Stow, who took 4-36 in the opening round against Ringwood, was not in the eleven against Camberwell on Saturday due to a back issue, but was supporting the Cats from the sidelines with young gun Ollie Peake.
The club has since confirmed the 23-year-old, who re-signed with the Melbourne Renegades this week, and could potentially miss six weeks of cricket.
However, Caulfield, who shifted to Geelong from Premier club Footscray during the off-season, said it spoke highly of Stow’s dedication to be running drinks on Saturday despite now living in Melbourne’s bayside.
“He was still around and helping out with the young spinners ... yesterday he down there was running water,” Caulfield said.
“I think that goes back to the values that we’ve got, the five key values.
“The clear one that’s showing out to me is that (we’re) givers, and that’s exactly what he did all weekend.
“I think that one is a really important one down there, everyone’s happy to give their time to help you.
“Just to get to know you or make it a bit easier to transition and fit in.
“We’ve got some good values the leadership has come up with over the pre-season.”
The opening batter was unbeaten on 83 at stumps on day one against the Magpies, the Cats 3-137 after dismissing the visitors for 146 (Josh Larkin 4-16, Kieren Helwig 2-15 off 14 overs, Lachlan Neate 2-33).
Caulfield was confident the Cats had the depth to cover for Stow, who enjoyed a breakout 2023-24 season with 32 wickets at 21.31 before making his Big Bash League and 50-over state debuts this year.
“It’s not ideal not having him,” Caulfield said.
“But then you see how Arjun (Sehrawat) bowled yesterday (1-37 off 14 overs) ... we’ve got so much depth.”
Werribee product Caulfield followed his good mate and former Footscray batter Ash Armstrong to Geelong.
However, Caulfield already had firms links to the region, having built a friendship with Geelong coach Jake Brown after working at the now defunct De Grandi Intersport post-high school.
But with his work as a sparkie taking him to the region, and craving opportunities at the highest level, Caulfield was ultimately coaxed to Geelong after a direction-changing chat with coach Eamonn Vines.
“Not stuck, but I probably wasn’t getting the good crack at consistent games because of the line up we had there,” Caulfield said of his time at Footscray.
“I knew I’d be down here (in Geelong) for a year or so (with work).
“I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, as soon as I spoke to (Vines) and got to meet him ... it just made the decision so clear, he’s just a top guy.
“(He) just fills you with confidence I think, every time you go out to bat, even if it’s in the nets ... he just has a way with words to fill with you confidence before anything you do.”
Still based in Hoppers Crossing, Caulfield feels that he has been warmly embraced by the club so far.
Meanwhile, in second grade, it was a long day in the field for Geelong with Camberwell scoring 8-409 (Oliver Haberfield 3-113, Josh Slater 2-56).
In thirds, Liam Biddiscombe (130) and Tom Courtney (101) combined for a 235-run stand for the fourth wicket as Geelong scored 5-296 at Kardinia Park.
And in fourth grade, the Cats produced 9-269 with Brodie Craig (92) top scoring with support from Charlie Peake (67 not out) and Oscar Agg (25).
Originally published as Durham professional Mia Rogers strikes back-to-back half centuries for Geelong
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