Revealed: Greatest batsmen of the Darwin and Districts Cricket Competition from the past decade
From a three-time premiership captain to a New Zealand first class record-breaker, the best batters of the past 10 years in the Darwin and District Cricket Association can be revealed.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Who have been the best batters of NT cricket over the past decade would no doubt be a hotly debated topic in local clubhouses.
But through the benefit of MyCricket data, sheer numbers makes the answer a little easier to find.
After poring over the numbers, NT News has a clear view of who have been the most consistently brilliant over the past 10 years in the Darwin and District Cricket Association’s competition.
However, to make the list, contenders had to have played at least five seasons over the past 10 years while displaying consistent achievements, year after year.
However, special mentions must go to dual premiership-winning gun Greg Clarence who belted 2140 runs at 66.87 for PINT in just two seasons, while fellow Green Nick Berry (2199 runs at 59.43) from three years (all premiership-winning seasons), Waratah’s Solomon Mire (2169 runs at 55.61) from four, and Southern Districts flag-winner Graeme Beghin (1095 runs at 73), shone during their brief spells in the DDCA.
Clarence’s 2013 season stood out in particular, with 1108 runs at 110.8 including five centuries – over the course of six innings, including 258 not out against Tracy Village – and four fifties.
Batting at four, Clarence made more than half of PINT’s six declared for 423 on June 8.
Other 1000-plus run seasons went to Tracy Village gun Jake Weatherald (1012 at 67.47) in 2015 with six centuries – including five in six innings – while Mire was 45 runs shy in 2013 (955 runs at 63.67) with two centuries (highest score of 260 v Southern Districts) and four fifties.
SEE WHO MADE THE LIST, WITH SPECIAL COMMENTS FROM EXPERT CRICKET JOURNALIST GREY MORRIS:
SIMON LAVERS
CLUB: PINT (2012-21)
SEASONS: 10
MATCHES: 104
RUNS: 4162
INNINGS: 115
NOT OUTS: 5
HIGHEST SCORE: 196
AVERAGE: 37.83
100s: 8
50s: 21
Already PINT’s greatest ever run scorer – he reached 8243 runs in July, 2019 – Lavers easily makes the league’s top ten.
With a top score of 196 against Palmerston in 2016, Lavers also had tremendous team success during the decade with three premierships in a row from 2012-14.
What Grey Says:
Simon Lavers had everything as a top order batsman: an immaculate defence, crunching drives from backward point to mid-off and a big appetite for the hook and pull that scorched boundary fences at all the district grounds.
And unlike several top order batsmen, teammates and opponents alike, Lavers had a habit of scratching out a new guard from the umpire on reaching three figures that signalled a long stay at the crease.
TIM GARNER
CLUB: PINT (2012-21)
SEASONS: 10
MATCHES: 126
RUNS: 4116
INNINGS: 135
NOT OUTS: 21
HIGHEST SCORE: 135*
AVERAGE: 36.1
100s: 4
50s: 22
Like fellow clubman Simon Lavers, Tim Garner was a key part of PINT’s three consecutive premierships.
He made an important 45 not out in the Greens’ 2012 victory over Palmerston, complementing Lavers’ heroics (112 off 103).
Then came an unbeaten 103 off 151 balls, as PINT reeled in Palmerston’s 116 to complete the three-peat in 2014.
What Grey Says
PINT teammate Tim Garner was similar in temperament. A left-hand “mollyduker’’ with the ability to tame the quicks and milk the slow men, Garner’s consistency in the top order places him in the top bracket of batsmen over the past decade.
ROBERT VAN DER MEULEN
CLUB: Palmerston, PINT, Southern Districts (2012-20).
SEASONS: Nine
MATCHES: 101
RUNS: 3210
INNINGS: 114
NOT OUTS: 11
HIGHEST SCORE: 126
AVERAGE: 30.29
100s: Six
50s: 15
A premiership player with Palmerston in 2018, Van Der Meulen has been a consistent performer for three clubs over the past decade.
He has also turned out for the Southern Storm in the Strike League as captain.
MARC CALKIN
CLUB: PINT (2012-20)
SEASONS: Nine
MATCHES: 86
RUNS: 3120
INNINGS: 97
NOT OUTS: 6
HIGHEST SCORE: 156
AVERAGE: 34.28
100s: 7
50s: 12
Former PINT captain Calkin was another key part of that stellar side that dominated the Darwin Premier Grade for three years.
Known for some famously large partnerships, he once combined with Simon Lavers for 217 runs against Southern Districts in 2016.
Calkin never looked far away from a big score.
ALEX BLEAKLEY
CLUB: Palmerston (2012-21)
SEASONS: Nine
MATCHES: 94
RUNS: 3849
INNINGS: 108
NOT OUTS: 19
HIGHEST SCORE: 157
AVERAGE: 43.24
100s: 8
50s: 24
The ever-consistent Bleakley has led from the front for Palmerston over the past decade.
In a side that has seen its fair share of success over the past few years, Bleakley has been a standout, racking up the half centuries and the odd ton when needed.
A batter, bowler and captain, there’s little the Power general can’t do.
And in 2018, he played a key role in Palmerston’s title-winning season too, making 57.
JAMES SEYMOUR
CLUB: Waratah (2014-20)
SEASONS: Seven
MATCHES: 94
RUNS: 4144
INNINGS: 107
NOT OUTS: 5
HIGHEST SCORE: 177
AVERAGE: 40.62
100s: 10
50s: 17
No best batters list would be complete without the star Waratah all-rounder who has scored plenty of runs over the past decade.
Seymour was a colossus in Waratah’s redemption year, 2020, hitting three tons on their way to the Darwin Premier Grade title.
It was the start of a massive couple of years for Seymour, as he went on to make his first class debut for Victoria in April, 2021.
It was perhaps a surprise to many of the Darwin faithful his debut came that late having previously been named the 2018 Darwin and District’s A-grade cricketer of the year.
Beyond Darwin, he won the 2020 Jack Ryder Medal with Essendon and found a place in the 2021-22 Melbourne Renegades Big Bash League squad.
What Grey Says
Waratah opener James Seymour always had something special about him, ruthlessly disposing of short balls through the legside or cutting through point when rival quicks with a head of steam tried to unsettle him.
It was no surprise when he turned up for the Melbourne Renegades and the Victorian Shield side in a natural progression from club to representative batsman.
BRAD SCHMULIAN
CLUB: Waratah (2012-18)
SEASONS: Six
MATCHES: 68
RUNS: 3329
INNINGS: 74
NOT OUTS: 25
HIGHEST SCORE: 125
AVERAGE: 67.93
100s: 10
50s: 16
Waratah’s first-ever Ralph Wiese medallist, Schmulian was an almost-unplayable force in the 2017 season.
The South African born, then captain of the Red Caps hit three tons in a prolific year that saw him total 713 top A Grade runs with a massive average of 89.12.
And you can’t mention the man without a nod to his achievements abroad, belting a massive 203 on his first class debut in New Zealand’s Plunkett Shield for Central Districts in 2017, smashing the competition’s 137-year record.
LUKE SHELTON
CLUB: Darwin (2014-20)
SEASONS: Six
MATCHES: 77
RUNS: 2510
INNINGS: 84
NOT OUTS: Nine
HIGHES SCORE: 218
AVERAGE: 33.46
100s: 2
50s: 20
It’s hard to go past the skipper of three consecutive two-day premierships for Darwin CC, Luke Shelton.
Batting first, he contributed important innings batting first in Darwin’s first two grand final triumphs.
His 55 was crucial to the Eagles’ winning score of 254 against Waratah in 2015.
Then, the following season, Shelton crafted 39 in the club’s back-to-back, flag-winning demolition of Tracy Village.
In just his second year as a left-arm spinner, Shelton took out the Ralph Wiese Medal with a Premier Grade-best 53 wickets in the regular season.
He was also outstanding with the bat, making 711 runs throughout the regular season.
However, he took a relative back seat with the bat in 2017, not required as Darwin made it three from three with an eight wicket win over Palmerston.
What Grey Says
Darwin’s Luke Shelton was a personal favourite of mine, taking time to settle in before decimating a rival bowling attack with classy driving and hard hitting square of the wicket.
JAKE WEATHERALD
CLUB: Tracy Village, Darwin (2013-17)
SEASONS: Five
MATCHES: 28
RUNS: 1774
INNINGS: 33
NOT OUTS: Five
HIGHES SCORE: 195*
AVERAGE: 63.35
100s: Eight
50s: Eight
One of the Territory’s greatest cricketing exports, it didn’t take long before the hard-hitting southpaw was snapped up by South Australia for higher honours.
The 27-year-old, who also won a Big Bash League contract with the Adelaide Strikers, has carved out a solid Sheffield Shield career so far with 3257 runs at 33.57 over 52 matches.
As mentioned, Weatherald’s biggest season in NT cricket came in 2015 where he smashed 1012 at 67.47 with six centuries, including five in six innings.
However, his best cricket appears to be ahead of him.
What Grey Says
Another Eagle who played a couple of seasons at Tracy Village, Weatherald has joined Seymour in Shield ranks with the SA Redbacks.
An aggressive left-hand bat, Weatherald swooped on anything short or over pitched and was a superb placer of the ball on the way to some big scores.
ISAAC CONWAY
CLUB: Waratah
SEASONS: Five (2017-21)
MATCHES: 60
RUNS: 2244
INNINGS: 66
NOT OUTS: 10
HIGHES SCORE: 112*
AVERAGE: 40.07
100s: Two
50s: 19
A skilled captain and star keeper-batsman, Conway has been a key part of the Red Caps’ revival over the past couple of years.
The club was struggling in 2019 before Conway came back alongside a bunch of other strong recruits to return the club to glory in 2020.
Half centuries have come thick and fast for the gun over the past few years, and if he sticks with the Tahs, they should remain a successful unit.
He also scored a century and five fifties in a fine 2020-21 SACA Premier season for Port Adelaide, which saw him named in the team of the year.
More Coverage
Named: Top performers from the DDCC senior/junior competition
This season the NT News sports team will run the rule over the DDCC senior competition, selecting our top individual performers from the round that was. See if you made the cut here.
NT duo named in camp for future Olympians after nationals success
Two of the Territory’s best young swimming prospects have been invited to a camp for the next wave of potential Australian Olympians following a great month for the NT in the pool.