Current
With seven Senior Men’s Turf teams, one Senior Women’s team, 7 Junior mixed teams, and a thriving Blasters program the ‘Neggie is in action from morning to night on both days of any given weekend and training every week night. You’ll enjoy a welcoming atmosphere, access to professional coaching and an active social environment.
Our home ground at Koornang Park is a delightful place to watch or play cricket and features superb facilities. We have a second turf ground at Lord Reserve, a stone’s throw away, and our junior teams play on both turf and synthetic wickets.
Carnegie is affiliated with four associations: Cricket Southern Bayside (CSB), the Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA), the All Girls Cricket Competition (AGCC), and Inner South East Cricket (ISEC).
Our senior 1st XI plays in CSB Division 1 and our 2nd XI in CSB Div3. Our 3rds play in CSB Div 5 and 4ths in MCA C grade. On Sundays we play in MCA A-Sunday grade, MCA B Sunday grade and MCA C Grade Sunday all 45-over a side one-day turf competitions.
For our juniors we offer teams in the ISEC at U/11, U/13, U/15 and U/17 levels with games on Friday nights, Saturday or Sunday mornings. We also are fielding two 13 & under girls teams in the All Girls Cricket Competition (AGCC), see the Juniors page for more info.
Our youngest cricketers enjoy a Woolworths Blasters program for 5-9 year olds, which is conducted on Saturday mornings from 9:45am at our main oval. Parents can be assured that we provide a responsible and caring structure for children who wish to experience the great game of cricket. See the Junior Blasters page for more info.
The ever popular Woolworths Master Blasters competition, formerly known as Milo T20 Blast, for 7-12 year olds is held on Saturday mornings. See the Master Blasters page for more info.
If you are interested in joining Carnegie Cricket Club, please contact the following people for more information:
Seniors Men’s: Stuart Easton on 0413 551 255
Seniors Women’s: Aimee White 0449 959 173
Junior players aged 5-17: Keat Yong on 0404 470 720
Club Song
We are the boys/girls from Carnegie, we wear the colours blue and gold, we will always fight for victory, like the Negie boys/girls of old.
All for one, and one for all, we will answer to the call. Go Carnegie, Go Carnegie
The club we hold so dear
You’ll hear the mighty roar
(Slower) You’ll hear the mighty roar!
Go Carnegie!!!!
History
Introduction
Carnegie’s home ground, Koornang Park, has changed shape and texture over the years. To younger players, the famous pine trees that skirted the fence at the Lyons Street end are merely backdrops in the old black and white photographs from yesteryear. The foreboding grandstand now boasts a large side pavilion where teams gather to quench their thirst after a long day’s battle. Practice turf wickets were still in use up until the late 1970s (just inside the boundary). Recent investment in automatic watering and a first class drainage system, new fencing, new hi power floodlights and the large pavilion has made Koornang Park an outstanding cricketing facility.
Rosstown
“Without access to early records it is difficult to be definite about the early days…”, Carnegie C.C. Annual Report 1955/56.
Until recently it was believed that our club was founded in 1907 but the recent discovery of a team photograph labelled ‘Premiers 1906/07’ proves otherwise. In those days, the club was known as ‘Rosstown’ and played in a field opposite the Rosstown Hotel. The suburb was renamed Carnegie on May 1, 1909, and the greater area known as Caulfield was home to over 11,000 residents.
In 1911/12, the club changed headquarters to a ground on Neerim Road in front of the primary school. Carnegie competed in the Caulfield-Moorabbin Association, playing against East Malvern, Methodists, East Caulfield, Murrumbeena, Mordialloc and Chelsea. Players were often advised in the local press as to which trains to catch for the forthcoming match. Games commenced at 3pm.
Rosstown Cricket Club pictured in 1906.
Development of Koornang Park
The Caulfield Council first purchased the land now known as Koornang Park in 1913 from a Percy Owen for 450 pounds and the club moved from Neerim Road. Back then it was called the ‘Sugarworks Paddock’, being just north of William Ross’ failed grand plan, a massive sugar refining factory. The area had been Crown land from the 1860s until leased in parts to Ross during the 1870s and 80s.
In 1919, the Council allocated pitches to three clubs on Koornang Reserve at a charge of 30 shillings each. “In future lessees of these reserves are to be allowed to graze horses only.”, Caulfield News, 25 September 1919. Carnegie entered ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams that year. Gemby and Gray were stars in the ‘A’ team.
A wooden pavilion was built at this time to accompany the asphalt wicket (laid by club members). Much of the club’s formative development was due to Messrs Wilde, Larter and Shelton. The ‘new’ pavilion was built in 1935, with council funding, after the old one burnt down.
Premiers!
Success was gradual and the first premiership as ‘Carnegie’ was not recorded until 1926/27, in the competition then known as the Caulfield District Cricket Association. Flags also came in 1927/28 and 29/30. A third side, called the ‘Club Eleven’ remained in the CDCA after the ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams entered the Victorian Junior Cricket Association turf section in 1930. Committee records show the club’s balance stood at 9 3s as at 13 September, 1934.
The club was very strong during the pre-war period. Councillor S. W. Tyers presided over VJCA turf premierships in 1935/36 (a thrilling 3 run win in the final against Richmond City) and 37/38, and was in ‘office’ for twenty-one years. Club membership consistently topped 100. During this period, 74% of club members lived in Carnegie. This figure is now closer to 45%.
A Great Team
The ‘A’ side for Round 1, 1938: J. Graham (c/c), E. Cakebread (a tireless administrator as well), R. Bone (club member for over 30 years), J. Tebbs, L. Carter, D. Rolfe (also played district cricket for Prahran), M. Evans, A. McIntosh, W. Luff, P. Pooley, H. Cairns and H. Cameron as 12th man (he would be awarded Best All Round player in 1939/40 before joining the RAAF). Interestingly, the Mayor and Mayoress of Caulfield unfurled the premiership flag at tea during this game. From The Age, November 1939 – “Keen district cricket interest is being evinced in the match between neighbouring Oakleigh and Carnegie elevens, which is being contested on the latter’s wicket at Koornang Park. On Saturday a strong following of both clubs watched play closely.”
Senior Division
Senior Division in the VJCA for season 1940/41 contained Carnegie, Clifton Hill ANA, Flemington & Kensington, Richmond District, Brunswick City, Clifton Hill, Glenhuntly, Austral, Richmond City, Oakleigh, Fitzroy Footballers and Myrall. Match fees for players were 1s 6d and umpires were paid 12s 6d. By this time, over 70,000 people lived in the City of Caulfield.
Koornang Park was used by the Volunteer Defence Corps for drilling during WWII and many youngsters were promoted into the senior sides to make up for the shortage of senior men.
Post War
Playing numbers naturally increased again during the 1940s and 50s. By season 1955/56, Carnegie boasted four senior sides and, remarkably, the 1st, 2nd and 4th Elevens took out flags, while the 3rd Eleven was runner-up. Ron Cusack was a force behind the club in this period, as was Bill Louch (club secretary and 4th XI skipper). Bill was involved with the club from 1929-63.
The great Ron Cusack pictured in 1998.
A young Merv Sutherland won the Best All-Rounder trophy that season for taking 60 wickets at 9.32 and making 234 runs at 16.71, including match figures of 17/74 versus Youlden.
Ex-VTCA president Bill Pewtress was skipper of the First XI during the early-to-mid 60s, and the all-conquering side of 1961/62 took out the Senior Division title. The lower elevens used to play on a ground located where the swimming pool now is. Playing strength declined later on, partly due to the loss of the ground when the pool was built, and only two teams remained at the end of the decade (in South B).
A financial crisis loomed but the enthusiasm of Noel Tyers and the pragmatism of Ted McAuliffe saw a number of key players either return to the club or be recruited. An immediate turn-around resulted in the South B flag in 1971/72. The very fast Robert Cameron took a haul of nine wickets in the grand final.
The Powerful 1970s Sides
Some terrific players represented the club in this time, led by wily left-arm spinner, Merv Sutherland, who took over 1,000 wickets in his career. The pace of White and Quirk skittled many an opposition (and Robert Cameron was, briefly, terrifyingly fast) and the batting of Flack, Dean, Griffiths, Young and the Fitzsimmons brothers resulted in a South A flag in 1975/76, and a nail-biting 2 run loss in the following season’s Senior Division semi-final (Flack took 6/18 and 3/15, and made 62 in the second dig).
The ‘Modern’ Era
After the halcyon 1970s, the club’s fortunes changed. Top players retired or left, and a long period in the Central 1 competition ensued. There was, however, outstanding on-field leadership from Andy Mullett and brother Ian, and the off-field administration of Ted McAuliffe, Phil Meyer and Max Fitzsimmons helped right the ship. During the 1980s and early 1990s, some marvellous players like paceman Ian Kyte, opener Kevin Lupton, young star Elliot Cartledge and leg-spinner Russell Benham lifted Carnegie’s fortunes in the Central 1 competition, culminating in flags in 1988/89 and 1991/92.
Another era had ended, though, and it took much hard work from the likes of Meyer and current secretary Eva Mitchell to develop a vibrant junior environment, so vital to the ongoing stability of the club. After a premiership in the South B competition in 1996/97, the First XI competed in South A1 division in 1997/98.
Today
With the VTCA refusing to allow play on Sundays in 1996/97, the club looked to the Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) to place extra teams. Our MCA sides have enjoyed tremendous success, including a coveted A grade premiership in 2003/04. The involvement in the MCA has now expanded, with the club now fielding an A Sunday Grade side B Sunday one-day side, B Saturday Grade side and a D Saturday Grade side.
In 2013, Carnegie was offered and accepted promotion from the VTCA South A competition to the inherently stronger South Division to compete against the likes of Port Melbourne, McKinnon, Murrumbeena and Hampton. The club’s playing strength and coaching resources have returned to a level commensurate with the 1970s.
In 2016 all VTCA South teams moved to the new Cricket Southern Bayside competition set up and run by Cricket Victoria. This was a big change in structure as there is now a mix on 2 day, 1 day and 20/20 matches during the home and away season. Carnegie won the inaugural Divison 1 premiership in 2016/17 and thus now have been promoted to the top division (Championship Division).
Recent club premierships were in CSB Div 1 2016/17, MCA A-Sunday 2016/17, MCA A-Sunday 2015/16 the VTCA South A2 2014/15, MCA A-Sunday 2022/23
