Carlton Mid Premier Grade Club Previews

Can Darwin and Districts Cricket Premier League champions Southern Districts win a fifth two-day premiership in six years or will a new kid jump to the top of the queue? 

Will Tracy Village rise from the ashes of a single win in the 2023 season to be among the sides pushing for finals cricket in September? 

Or can perennial finalists Waratah and Darwin under coaches Udara Weerasinghe and first year Eagles boss Darren Treumer get their hands on some silverware in the three forms of the game (50-over, T20 and two-day) at season's end? 

Will Nightcliff take the next step after reaching the semi-final stage in 2023, can Palmerston's young guns fire or PINT get back to winning ways? 

Those are some of the questions being asked of the seven clubs vying for honours when the 2024 Darwin and Districts Cricket season hits off on April 13. 

Southern Districts Cricket Club

HOME GROUND: Gerry Wood Oval 

NICKNAME: Crocodiles 

TWO DAY PREMIERSHIPS (4): 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023. 

2023 Two-Day Finals: Premiers 

2023 Ladder Finish: 3rd 

2024 two-day Prediction: 1st. 

Key Ins: Lachlan Bangs (LHTOB, Ringwood CC, Vic), Dean Fry (TOB, Metropolitan-Easts CC, QLD). 

Key Outs: Josh Kann, Lochie Hardie, Tom Jackson. 

Coach Tony Judd says: It's good to be able to bring in new players to add some extra enthusiasm back into the group, when playing the same X1 can make it harder. 

We've got a good mix of local players who offer us a lot of strength and obviously we'll add to the playing group with whoever we bring in. 

Players like Dylan Mullen and Tim Garner had big seasons for us in 2023 and we're hoping that continues with the players joining the group. 

So fingers crossed we'll shape up well and we're confident we'll be competitive in a pretty good era for the cricket club. 

Grey Morris says: The cinderella club from Darwin's rural area without a Premier Grade two-day crown until 2019 is now the powerhouse of the competition. 

Four premierships in five seasons and the real possibility of five in six seasons with the 2024 campaign primed for success entitles Districts to be listed among the great sides in the long history of Top End cricket. 

A fourth successive flag this season will see them join the Tracy Village sides of the 1970s and '80s to win four flags in succession. 

Waratah shared nine flags in a row through the 1960s when Waratah Red and Waratah White dominated the competition.  

Districts' dominance in the modern era has come about through wise recruiting, including securing Tony Judd as coach and former PINT allrounder Tim Garner for his batting and bowling skills have proved successful. 

Combine that with a big hunger for success and a follow-on pursuit of excellence throughout the Premier Grade side and players from the lower grades aspiring to play cricket in the top flight and the Crocodiles are secure as defending champions. 

Dean Fry's return will add more depth to the bowling attack and Bangs should live up to his name with a series of big scores with the willow in his hand. 

Dylan Mullen's glorious 2023 season when he scored 478 runs at 37 and grabbed a Premier League high 29 wickets at 20.83 should roll into 2024, while Garner's 364 runs was another highs in a premiership season. 

Darwin Cricket Club 

NICKNAME: Eagles 

HOME GROUND: Kahlin Oval 

TWO DAY PREMIERSHIPS (8): 1985, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2015, 2016, 2017 

2023 Two-Day Finals: Runner-up 

2023 Ladder Finish: 4th 

2024 Prediction: 2nd. 

Key Ins: Dan Kerber (WK/LHTOB, Adelaide Uni, SA), Mitch Jamieson (RHTOB, Footscray CC, VIC), Aiden Brasher (RA Fast, Footscray CC, VIC), Smit Raval (RA Leg Spin Blacktown Mounties CC, NSW shield squad). 

Key Outs: Anthony Adlam, Druv Kant, Matt Calder, Blake Couburn. 

Coach Darren Treumer says: This is my first year as a non-playing coach where it really excites me to be at a new club with a lot of new faces where we can create a cricket club we're proud of at the end of the day. 

At the start of the season you sit back and reflect on the three trophies that are up for grabs and we feel the group we're putting together can play some very attacking cricket. 

We believe we've got all of our bases covered with batting and bowling and a young group that can have a crack at all three trophies. 

We've got a new captain this year in Dan Kerber, a first grade cricketer and good gloveman from the University club in Adelaide who has played for us before. 

We're all about playing good cricket and being good people where we want to play hard on the field and enjoy each other's company off the field. 

Grey Morris says: Darwin's hunt for a two-day premiership begins under new leadership in the coaching and captaincy departments and a big lift in attitude. 

Treumer's first coaching role without any playing commitments will bring increased commitment and a positive attitude on the field, big factors in any aspirations to win silverware in the red and white ball competitions. 

The absence of top order bats Adlam and Calder means replacements must be found, gaps Jacob Dickman (564 runs at 62.67 in 2023), Kerber and young gun Jamieson from Victoria will be asked to fill. 

Former skipper Matt Hammond is yet to commit to a full season with house building his main priority this year, but his spin bowling will be a factor after grabbing 21 wickets at 22.4 in 2023. 

Waratah Cricket Club

NICKNAME: Warriors 

HOME GROUND: Gardens Oval 

TWO DAY PREMIERSHIPS (15): 1959, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1982, 2005, 2009, 2020. 

2023 Two-Day Finals: 4th 

2023 Ladder Finish: 2nd 

2024 Prediction: 3rd. 

Key Ins: Ashley Chandrasinghe (LHTOB, Casey South Melbourne, VIC), Dave Dubey (RH Batting-Allrounder, Australian National University CC, ACT), Aryan Jain (LHTOB, South Brisbane CC, QLD). 

Key Outs: Jason Sangha, Ryan Hackney.

Coach Udara Weerasinghe says: Jagadeswara Koduru will be our captain this year where his knowledge of the game and experience in captaincy will be a bonus for the club. 

Ashley Chandrasinghe will be back mid season after his commitments in Melbourne where his batting will give us depth in the top order and an opportunity to improve on our second position last season before losing in the semi-finals. 

The word consistency is very important at Waratah and it sets the standard before the start of every season where we aim to play finals cricket by finishing in the top four. 

The club is getting bigger and hopefully, better and it's why we want to win enough games to be right in the mix when trying to win a two-day flag and the white ball competitions. 

We're confident we have the right coaching structures in place with myself and Madura and the knowledge in the players to continue to aspire for team honours. 

Grey Morris says: The red caps have set a high standard in the last four seasons they will be keen to maintain when the new season hits off on April 13. 

Weerasinghe used the word consistency in his appraisal of the new campaign, an important word when trying to decipher why the Gardens Oval club is a regular competitor in September when finals cricket determines who wins the season's bragging rights. 

The halycon days of the 1960s and 70s are a long way back in the rear vision mirror, with four flags in the last 51 years a disappointing return for this proud club. 

Big scoring bat Ryan Hackney and NSW state cricketer Jason Sangha have swapped Darwin's dry season for the green fields of England in 2024, leaving some big vacancies in the red caps' batting lineup. 

But Tahs skipper Jagadeswara Koduru averaged close to 60 runs an innings in a 519-run season in 2023 and Param Uppal's 463 runs at 51.4 were other bright lights in a Waratah batting lineup that will have to shine again if their side is to play more finals cricket. 

Nightcliff Cricket Club

NICKNAME: Tigers 

HOME GROUND: Nightcliff Oval 

TWO DAY PREMIERSHIPS (3): 1983, 1996, 2010. 

2023 Two-Day Finals: 3rd 

2023 Ladder Finish: 1st 

2024 Prediction: 4th. 

Key Ins: Zac Honeybrook (RA Fast Bowler, Hawkesbury CC, QLD), Tyler Van Luin (All Rounder, Queanbeyan District CC, NSW). 

Key Outs: Caelan Malady, Hanno Jacobs

President Murali Varatharajan Says: Being competitive is our big aim this season, regardless of where we are on the ladder and the successes we may have. 

Any trophies and whatever else will be a bonus, but the main priority is to put a competitive side out on the ground every week while making sure our local players get a chance to play at the top level. 

We recruit players who will enhance and support our local talent, thereby ensuring we are competitive right across all of our grades, including A, B, C and D and our women. 

A lot of the squad in the first half of the season are returning players from last season and the year before and that adds consistency to our list. 

I don't put a lot of importance on ladder positions, it's more important to be competitive on a weekly basis and that's the aim at Nightcliff. 

Grey Morris Says: Nightcliff's 2023 campaign ended at the semi-final stage last season when all intentions were good after finishing on top after the minor round. 

The 2023 minor premiers have retained prolific opening bat Douwtjie Hoogenboezem, who averaged 80 with the bat in a 720-run season and played with the West Australian second X1 over the 2023-24 summer. 

Top order bat James Doherty who averaged 52 with the bat will be another key player as the Tigers seek a return to the finals. 

Malady's penetrative fast bowling (27 wickets at 20) will be missed, but the leg spin of Charlie Smith and Honeybrook's experience with the ball will be big plusses. 

Michael Kudra's 310 runs and 27 dismissals (24 catches and three stumpings) played a key role in the Tigers finishing on top after last season's minor rounds and the club will be looking for a repeat from the wicketkeeper-bat in 2024.

Palmerston Cricket Club 

NICKNAME: Power 

HOME GROUND: Woodroffe 

TWO DAY PREMIERSHIPS (6): 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2018. 

2023 Ladder Finish: 5th 

2024 Prediction: 6th 

Key Ins: Jack Matchett (TOB, Kensington CC SA), Matt Scoble (Fast/Med Bowl, Wellington NZ), Caleb Montague (Wicket-Keeper, Wellington NZ).

President Adrian Gallagher Says: We're really working on our young players at the moment with a good crop of 18 to 20-year-olds coming through. 

They're certainly going to get a chance at the top level this year, meaning the B-grade will be a young side with players coming in and out of A-grade. 

We've always had a good junior base and we'll continue to strengthen that area in a brand new playing kit in a maroon and grey setup. 

It will be nice to get a big season out of Alex Bleakley after a couple of quiet years from him and the big thing for us is a couple of our juniors coming through. We have high hopes for in opening bat Tahj Hill, who made a half century on debut in the last A-grade game last season and (wicketkeeper-bat) Cadell McMahon will be a regular in in senior side during 2024. 

Grey Morris Says: The Power narrowly missed the finals action under skipper Hamish Martin last season, a result that would have stoked the fires within the playing group and the administration to finish higher than fifth in 2024. 

Palmerston has reignited its interest in New Zealand cricketers after two years away from the land of the long white cloud. 

But youth will be their biggest priority in 2024, with Tahj Hill's batting in the top order and McMahon's glovework and middle order batting part of the big crop of talented youngsters wearing Palmerston's maroon colours. 

Tom McGann (423 runs last season) and Jack Freeman (357 runs) were the best with the willow for the Power last season and they will need to repeat those scores if the club is to push for a finals spot. 

PINT Cricket Club

NICKNAME: Greens 

HOME GROUND: DXC Arena, Marrara 

TWO DAY PREMIERSHIPS (5): 1984, 2004, 2012, 2013, 2014. 

2023 Ladder Finish: 6th 

2024 Prediction: 5th. 

Key Ins: Prasanna Ketheeshwaran (TOB, Essendon CC, VIC), Brad Ilott (RA Off Spin, Ashgrove CC, QLD), Hassan Sardar (RA Leg Spin, Toombul CC, QLD), Connor Poulton (WK, Essendon CC, VIC). 

Key Outs: Jet Liebke. 

President Simon Lavers Says: We lost three really close games last season which as it turned out were the difference in us playing in the finals or missing out. 

There was only a wicket or 10 runs in all of those games, which is cricket, you win some and lose some in this game whether they are close or not. 

In hindsight with the team we had playing together for most of the season, we should have finished third or fourth and been part of the finals. 

We've recruited carefully this season in a bid to make sure we've got the right people and the right mix of players that can take us forward. 

Most of last year's squad are returning, so we have to find the right mix with our recruits that transpires to success on the field.

It's great to have returning players in the Territory where you're very lucky if you see the same people two or three seasons in a row. 

I think we've got the mix right where we'll target the one-dayers and T20s first up before moving into the two-dayers.

Grey Morris says: The Greens have become accustomed with success in recent times and that includes the lower grades where PINT played in five grand finals in season 2023. 

But overall success has always been based on the senior side, how they play the game, conduct themselves on and off the field and the amount of silverware they win. 

It's been 10 years since the green caps won a senior flag, something Lavers and his committee are working hard to change. 

A sixth-placed finish last season was not part of the PINT culture, which makes any improvement a must if they are to push for finals cricket. 

Liebke's absence from the batting crease will hurt after he averaged 45 with the bat, but Farzan Chowna showed he is capable of some big scores after averaging 37.89 with the bat in 2023 and Mitch Doolan's allround skills with bat and ball will be important. 

Tracy Village

NICKNAME: Villagers 

HOME GROUND: Tracy Village Oval 

TWO DAY PREMIERSHIPS (18): 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980,1981, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989,1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2007, 2008. 

2023 Two-Day Ladder Finish: 7th 

2024 Predicted finish: 7th. 

Key Ins: Anushka Tiwary (RHTOB/RA Off Spin, Weston Creek Molonglo, ACT), Arjun Sehrawat (RHMOB/RA Leg Spin, Geelong CC, Vic) 

Key Outs: Reggie Els, Vincent Huf, Max Hatzoglou

President Dan McKeown Says: We've had a change of presidents with myself taking over from Andrew (Christensen) who has moved to Queensland and a new committee is in place.  

Rick Bean is our new club coach, replacing Max Hatzoglou in a club environment we anticipate will be competitive this year, that's our aim as a club. We've gone through a lot of change and now it's a club first mentality.

While we acknowledge our successful history in A-grade cricket (18 senior flags) and its importance to us, we are a completely different club from that wonderful era. We need to forge a new foundation in order to get back to being the best cricket club in the Northern Territory. 

A big part of that aim is to get more kids playing cricket as the result of our Blast program, including the addition of two under-9 teams and a couple of U12 and U15 sides while continuing to integrate young players into the senior program. 

Grey Morris Says: The Villagers have won more A-grade premierships than anyone else in the long history of Darwin cricket - 18 at the last count since their breakthrough flag in 1975. 

But two premierships since 1998 and both of them in the back-to-back seasons of 2007 and 2008, suggests a lack of quality personnel and a hunger for success since those halcyon days of the 1970s, '80s and '90s. 

The steel in President Dan McKeown's voice when discussing the 2024 season points to a whole new approach at the Village this year, one they are confident will bring success and respect to the cricket club. 

Hatzoglou's loss as club coach, wicketkeeper and batsman will hurt, combined with the absence of Els, who has remained in Ireland to pursue his cricket. 

But the recruitment of talented youngsters Tiwary and Sehrawat are positives they can build on.

Who's up next....

Darwin Cricket Club released Wednesday 10 April 

Southern Districts Cricket Club released Thursday 11 April