Premier Cricket: Evan Gulbis cracks 21st century

A piece of advice many years ago has helped Carlton star Evan Gulbis become a prolific scorer of centuries in Premier Cricket.

Simon McEvoy

3 min read

January 10, 2022 - 11:00AM

Melbourne Leader

Evan Gulbis blasts off for Carlton in Premier Cricket. Picture: Sean Garnsworthy

Inner South

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A piece of advice many years ago has helped Evan Gulbis become a prolific scorer of centuries.

The Carlton captain-coach peeled off his 21st ton in Premier Cricket on Saturday, placing him equal 10th on the list of all-time century makers in Victoria’s top grade competition.

It was the perfect way to celebrate his 200th game.

At 35, Gulbis’ hunger for runs is as strong as ever and his reputation as a match-winner cemented.

Reflecting on his cricket journey, he recalls a brutally honest conversation early in his career that ultimately set him on the road to success.

He was urged (told) to bat smarter.

“I scored a ton early doors just through hand eye ability, youthfulness,” he said.

“I’d love to take the game on but it wasn’t until a couple of years later that I scored two or three (centuries) in a season and I got told by a few very good players that, ‘you have to change the way you bat throughout your innings’.

“(I was told) ‘There’s no structure, there’s no formula, it’s about evaluating that moment’.

“And since I got told that information that’s really helped me.”

Evan Gulbis cuts.

Carlton’s Harry Smyth. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Gulbis brought up his century (100no off 98 balls, with 5 fours and 7 sixes) as Carlton, 1-178, powered past Camberwell Magpies’ 174 in only 29.1 overs.

He and Harry Smyth (56no off 76 balls) put on 175 after coming together at 1-3.

Smyth, who started the season with an unbeaten century, has gone past 400 runs to continue his push for higher honours.

Gulbis’ run-filled career also includes three Twenty20 centuries for Carlton that aren’t counted in the official list of Premier tons.

Throw in a Shield century (229) for Tasmania, two tons in Tassie grade cricket, two futures tons and nine hundreds in club cricket England and he’s on his way to a half-century of centuries.

Evan Gulbis on his way to 229 for Tasmania.

Not bad for a kid from Yarraville who joined Carlton Cricket Club from Williamstown at 17 with modest ambitions.

“My aspiration was to play First XI cricket,” Gulbis said.

“To have done that when I was 17 was pretty cool.

“And to score my first hundred at 18 and then to go on and have a career like I have... I had six years out of Premier cricket to go and have a crack at some state stuff, but then to come back and contribute to my home (Carlton) has been very satisfying.

“Carlton created and formed the way I am as a person and to be able to repay them, to be back involved with my second home, is really important to me and hopefully we can get some more silverware to reward the people that looked after me so well.”

Gulbis is a fly-in player; he lives in Launceston with his fiancé Kristi and their two children, daughter Violet and son Pepe.

He comes over each Thursday to run training, staying with his dad in Yarraville, and heads back to Tasmania on Sundays.

“The only reason I come to Melbourne is to play cricket for Carlton and I don’t know anyone else who is willing to travel interstate to do that,” he said,

“They (Carlton) are held so highly in my eyes.

“The people that are there are so important to me…I view it as part and parcel of me.”

Gulbis said he was lucky to have an outstanding coaching group at Carlton that runs training on Tuesdays.

“That’s led by Nick Ross, Guy Walker, Les Petsinis and Bruce Waldron, who is an unbelievable assistant,” he said.

“It makes my job a lot easier to have the right people involved.”

Carlton sits in second spot, behind only St Kilda, on the ladder, well placed to challenge for the flag.

Gulbis says the Blues have extra motivation after being bundled out of the finals last season.

“I think we’ve got the depth to go all the way,” he said.

“It’s whether we produce at the right time of the year. That’s what let us down last year, we were a fantastic team last season and missed our opportunity when it mattered.

“Having that in the back of everyone’s mind instills that little bit of extra want and need to get all the little things ready for that time of year.”