Inside Noah Croes’ journey from Melbourne University to the Netherlands

Melbourne University wicketkeeper Noah Croes passed up playing in the UK to return to the Netherlands and he hasn’t looked back . Here’s his story.

When Noah Croes was weighing up his Australian winter plans, he made a few final calls.

One of them went out to his former Victorian Premier Cricket teammate, and now Netherlands’ international captain, Scott Edwards.

Croes’ request to Edwards was simple: “can we have a talk about Dutch cricket?”.

Croes, who has a Dutch passport due to his father’s ancestry, pondered another season in England like he did last winter, or a return to the Netherlands for a tilt at an international career.

Conversations with both Voorburg Cricket Club in the Netherlands and Edwards pushed the Melbourne University wicketkeeper-bat to where he is now - a member of the Netherlands squad competing for a ticket to the 2023 One-Day International World Cup.

“I was just debating whether to come over to Holland, the club I am playing with now, Voorburg Cricket Club, they had been in contact with me,” Croes says.

“They were saying ‘there’s good opportunity with us, play with us, try and mix yourself into the national team’.

“That sort of got the cogs turning and got me thinking and then I reached out to Scott and said: ‘can we have a talk about Dutch cricket?’

“He (Edwards) was really helpful, really honest, he just told me it was a no-brainer if it was him; he gave me some really good advice and I haven’t looked back now.”

Noah Croes.

Croes, 23, calls his ascent to international duty “rare” but is simultaneously filled with appreciation for the opportunity to face off with the world’s best.

“Ever since I was young and playing cricket, I knew I was eligible for the Netherlands,” he says.

“Dad and I always used to talk about it, it’s always been a dream.

“Having the Dutch ancestry has given me that ability to play international cricket, play in World Cup’s, T20 World Cup’s and play against the best in the world.

“It’s a pretty special opportunity, speaking to some of the guys who have played in the super league, they’ve just played against England, West Indies, Pakistan and stuff.

“Having exposure to all these amazing cricketers and opportunity, it’s rare I know, but I am grateful for it and hopefully in the near future I can be a part of a World Cup campaign.

“It’s a bit different to the Australian kid wanting to play for Australia but it’s definitely pretty cool.”

Croes celebrates some sharp wicketkeeping. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Croes on the drive. Photo: Hamish Blair

Croes, who is living in The Hague, says he is often pinching himself as the prospect of featuring in a World Cup is a long way from standing behind the stumps for the Students.

“It’s been a whirlwind, to be honest, I have played 17 games in six weeks” he says.

“We have had tours to the UK to play Kent and Italy just came last week to play in a T20 series.

“This week we have a few warm-up games against a Chennai Braves team, which is an Abu Dhabi franchise, the opportunities have been incredible.

“It’s a bit of a pinch yourself, if you came and told me that I was going to Zimbabwe at the end of the year to try and qualify for India, I would be like: ‘what the hell, you’re kidding’.

“But having experienced what I have experienced in the last six weeks, training really hard and working on my game, it’s starting to become more of a reality.

“If we play some good cricket in Zimbabwe, have a good run and get some momentum, you never know.”