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Darren Shaw - always team first

Blacktown Mounties Cricket Club | March 31, 2024

Darren Shaw was playing cricket for Blacktown when they first moved from park cricket into the Sydney Shires competition. He also was part of the formative years of the Blacktown Cricket Club elevation into NSW Premier cricket at the start of the 2002-03 season.

Darren was a captain of the 2^nd grade team filled with young players who went onto to play Premier first grade cricket.

More recently Darren has played senior cricket on the Central Coast and is the proud owner of NSW Over 50s Blues cap number 46.

Darren loves travelling, beach sprinting and is a passionate fan of the Sydney Roosters in the NRL, let’s find out more about Darren’s journey in cricket.

What year you were born?

1970 Camperdown, Sydney

Can you remember you first game of cricket?

I was 7 and my good mate Darren Currie (who ended up playing rugby league for Illawarra, Penrith, and Canterbury) asked me if I wanted to play a game for Doonside Under 11's. I batted 11 not sure what I scored, and didn't bowl, but loved it.

Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?

Loved my junior cricket, started playing for Doonside in under 11's but then moved to Blacktown City where I met some of my best mates.

Ended up with Blacktown Shires. I didn’t play from about the age of 30-36 as work and kids took over and then went back to Blacktown Grade after they entered NSW Premier Cricket. Then moved to the Central Coast and joined Woy Woy cricket. I stopped playing for a few years whilst watching my son play his juniors for Kincumber Avoca CC.

A few dads around that team decided to start a father son team. In 2018 I had the pleasure to be captain of Kincumber 3rd grade team that won the comp. To win a comp with your son was something very special.

Now I'm enjoying playing Veterans cricket. And very honoured to have represented the NSW Blues in the over 50's.

Blacktown First Grade Sydney Shires Premiers 1997-98

From left to right - Craig Wildman, Malcolm Serplet, Shannon Lane, Alan Berry, Ismail Kaba (standing), Darren Shaw. Neil Bray (standing), Peter Shredovicz (Captain and hands up sitting at the front), Brett Leonard (face obscured by Shredo), Ray Clarence (sitting), Mal Madsen, and Craig Philbin.

In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?

Played 1st grade park cricket with Blacktown City Cricket Club at 17.

Jeff Bridges was our captain and I'm still great mates with him and his brother. Jeff is a life member at BCCC. A true club man who ended up doing some great work with Blacktown Grade Cricket.

Blacktown finally joined Sydney Shires Cricket. Blacktown Grade cricket owes everything to Jim Hanshaw, Gavin Robertson and Craig Michie. Without them we wouldn't have been in Shires, let alone Grade Cricket.

I played 1st grade shires for Blacktown. It was a bunch of park cricketers playing and we really had no idea what was going on. Craig Michie was our first captain in Shires and I reckon he aged 10 years in that first year.

In later years, I ended up captaining 2nd grade for Blacktown when we went to NSW Premier Cricket.

It was our 2nd or 3rd year in grade cricket, so I was in my late 30's with 8 or 9 kids aged 17 - 19. I'm proud to say that everyone in that team went onto play first grade at some stage. Some really good players from that team like Corey Lowe and Wendel Delpechitra went onto play a lot of first grade cricket.

If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer and what were your strengths as a player?

Certainly not the most talented or technical but loved competing and being the ultimate team man. This could also mean “the clown.”

I was more a wicket keeper and lower order bat. As I've got older, I have turned into an opening bat and wicket keeper. My strength as a player is "team is always first”.

Darren Shaw presented with his NSW Over 50s Blues Cap number 46 by Phil Melville

Who was the best spinner you had the good fortune to keep to?

Shannon Lane hands down. Great bloke as well. More recently Glen Giddings is probably the smartest spinner I've kept to.

When we won Shire’s 1st grade in 1997-98 Shannon Lane was a class above. I had 37 dismissals as a wicket keeper that year and 26 were stumped thanks to Shannon Lane's leg spin and Ray Clarence's left arm fast mediums. We also had two other great spinners that year, Neil 'Buckets' Bray and Craig Wildman.

Darren Shaw

Who was the best fast bowler you kept to?

There are two, Tim Fraser and Paul Goldsmith. Two totally different characters but great bowlers. Robbie Luc was probably the quickest.

Was there any one bowler who you really enjoyed keeping to?

He wasn't the fastest but the smartest. Ray Clarence, I lost count how many stumping’s, some legside, some offside, he was so smart and we just got each other.

Can you recall a catch or stumping that still fills you with pride and puts a smile on your face?

It was 1998 at the SCG in a Sydney Shires rep team versus an up-and-coming Premier Cricket team, they were captained by Greg Davidson the Parramatta legend and now umpire. I took a stumping off Shannon Lane.

What was your highest score in senior cricket?

It was for Kincumber 4th grade at Warnervale in my comeback year I scored 156.

Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?

Played Alan Butterworth in our first year of Sydney Shires cricket. He played first grade for Balmain in NSW Premier Cricket and came back to Shires to play for Baulkham Hills. I think I walked after he hit my pads, I didn't see it at all and was plum lbw.

One of the quickest was in park cricket. Gavin Brow. Seriously quick, no sight screens, no helmet and late in the day with fading light, he was dangerous.

Playing first grade for Woy Woy against a young Adam Semple, I edged him for 4 runs over the slips. He was a pretty fiery and decided to sledge me. Probably not my smartest move, I decided to sledge him back. I knew I was going to cop a bouncer the next ball so, I thought a good idea to try the pull shot. I top edged the ball straight into my face and ended up in hospital. He was way too quick for me. I've worn a helmet ever since.

Who were the best 2 batsman you’ve played against?

Recently in Veterans cricket Andrew Kratzman from Queensland, he has all the shots, ramping and every other shot in the book.

Also, the New Zealand veterans captain at the Australian Over 50s national Richard Petrie. He hit the ball the hardest I've seen, and I had front row seat wicket keeping.

NSW Over 50s Blues 2023-24 National Championships - Darren Shaw in the front row second in from the left

Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?

Playing a semi final in 97/98 for Blacktown against Lane Cove in Sydney Shires, Shannon Lane went out in the 2nd innings and piled on about 150 odd. We were all out in the 1st dig for 60 and then rolled them for 55. It was the weirdest game as we the scored 300 in the 2nd innings. It was awesome to watch. Also saw Rod Bower destroy some bowlers at Joe McAleer Oval playing Shires.

Was there any bowler or batsman in particular who for whatever reason always seemed to cause you trouble?

Any bowler who pitched it up. But in junior cricket Stevie Simons. "Seve" would get me out for fun. I think I was his hat-trick wicket in one game.

Can you recall a time when you thought, wow, this is a step or two up from what you were used to in grade cricket?

Yes, our first year in Sydney Shires. We were just a bunch of park cricketers. Also, the year I was captain of Blacktown 2nd grade, playing blokes like Neil Maxwell.

Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?

Since starting Veterans cricket, I've had the pleasure of watching Scotty Atkinson wicket keep. The quickest hands I've seen. Also loved opening the bat with Atko when we won the over 50's state championships.

Scott Atkinson

Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?

Peter Shredovic came to captain Blacktown first grade Shires the year after we come last. He single handedly turned the club around that year and we won the first grade competition. He was a very hard but fair captain, and a very handy player.

Mark Austin is a gun, and I would have loved to play with him in his prime. He recently captained the Central Coast to two NSW state championships in a row in Veterans cricket. One of the calmest skippers I've played under.

Central Coast Over 50s NSW State Champions 2022-23

Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?

Peter Shredovich is hard to go past, but I loved playing under Craig Michie. He led by example, and it was always fun watching him lose his temper. Mark Austin was awesome to play with as well.

Who has been your funniest team mate?

Can't go past Darren Wort back in my park cricket days. Derek Arnberger was a very funny team mate.

Darren Shaw

Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?

We were playing Holroyd in Shires, and we batted all day except for about 4 overs. The opening batsmen came out and one of them played for Blacktown the year before.

Ray Clarence was bowling and it was the last over of the day. He proceeded to tell him where he was going to bowl every ball. It was the last ball of the day and he said to him don't leave your crease as Shawry will leg side stump you. Yep, it actually happened!! We laughed for hours that night.

What was your most embarrassing dismissal in senior cricket?

Knowing I was plumb LBW in my first Shires game and walking.

Who was your childhood hero?

Alan Border

Allan Border

Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?

Mark Bosnich, Emi Martinez, and Alex Ferguson!! I love my EPL and my team, Aston Villa.

Mark Bosnich

Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?

Richie Benaud

What was your favourite ground to play at?

Joe McAleer -Blacktown