VSDCA: Andrew Chalkley signs at Kew in Sub-District Cricket

Kew has unveiled its first significant recruit of the VSDCA off-season by signing former Monash Tigers batsman Andrew Chalkley.

Andrew Chalkley in defence for Monash Tigers. Picture: James Ross/AAP

Kew has unveiled its first significant recruit of the VSDCA off-season by signing former Monash Tigers batsman Andrew Chalkley.

The left-hander spent six years at the Premier Cricket club and will reunite with former teammate and Kew captain-coach Chris Weeks in the Sub-District Cricket ranks in 2019-20.

Chalkley played 75 First XI games with the Tigers and returned 1608 runs, with two centuries, before returning to Bendigo to play with junior club Strathdale-Maristians last summer.

Kew Cricket Club is delighted to announce that Andrew Wildsmith, Andrew Chalkley and Seb Contos will be joining the club for the 2019/20 season. Details: https://t.co/PFd0UAeQo0 #kewboyswearemagic pic.twitter.com/VQA74ntiLq

— Kew Cricket Club (@KewCricketClub) May 12, 2019

Ryder medallist Andrew Wildsmith has also joined Kew in a director of coaching position, while talented junior Seb Contos also returns after five seasons in Northcote’s lower grades.

Chalkley will help fill a void left in Kew’s batting line-up by the departure of Rohan Wight, who has joined Eastern Cricket Association club Glen Iris.

Weeks said his friendship with Chalkley had helped lure him to Victoria Park.

“It was a good fit for him just where he’s at in his cricket,” Weeks said.

“Living down here and working down here, obviously the travel to Bendigo was just a bit much so it’s good to get someone of his calibre on board.

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“He’s a very dynamic player and I’ve got no doubt he’ll succeed for Kew in the next little bit.

“We’re just around the corner from each other so we’re always talking about it but he was definitely someone we were keen to get on board.

“He’s a great person to have around the club as well so he’ll be great for the boys and us going forward.”

Wildsmith played two games for Victoria in 1983-84 and won the Val Holten Medal (formerly the Hatch Medal) in 1988-89 as the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association’s best player.

“We put the question to him and he was pretty happy to take on a role at the club and it’s going to be really exciting for some of the younger guys coming through,” Weeks said.

“His cricket CV speaks for itself … to get someone like that on board, it’s going to help me out immensely as well for whatever my aspirations are coaching-wise.”