Interview With A Champion Blake Nikitaras

St George Cricket Club | July 11, 2025

We continue our Annual Report "Interview With A Champion" series and with the release of our 24-25 report we are pleased to bring you our latest effort where we caught up with champion St George batsman, Blake Nikitaras.

St George DCC 1st Grade Player No.449

Put simply, if you did not at least see the highlights package of Blake Nikitas batting our 1st Grade team to the Kingsgrove Sports T20 Cup you have simply not lived. It must go down as one of the most memorable innings in St George history. Those of you who have followed his career will know that this was not some flash in the pan T20 innings, but an innings crafted from years of hard work, dedication and discipline to the artform. By the end of the season, Blake had pieced together an astronomical 1198 1st Grade runs across all three formats, and most importantly won a spot back at the top of the order in the NSW Sheffield Shield team. The season ahead could well be the bridge to something quite big and special, but as you will read, Blake no doubt will keep it low key and continue to focus his attention on the work he’s always been happy to do.

Tell us a little bit about the early playing days of Blake Nikitaras?

I started at six years old playing Under 10s with my brother and cousin for Port Kembla Cricket Club. I then played for Oak Flats and West Devils in my junior years, before moving into the junior reps, followed by the Under 17s and 19s pathways teams for NSW Country / ACT. 

Safe to say your father, Steve, played a large part in your cricketing upbringing having played First Class cricket as a big fast bowler back in his day. How did you not end up a pace bowler like him? 

He had a lot to do with my cricket, but he wanted me to focus on my batting with my brother. He just didn't want us bowling. His theory was you can bowl when your body is developed. So, we just kept batting and bowled some off spinners. 

As a young lad what was it about the game that got you hooked?

It was just the fun of it as a six year old getting to play with my brother. As I got older, it was the competitiveness with myself wanting to get better and do better for the team. 

What do you think set you aside from the other kids when it came to your development? 

I hit lots of balls all year round and didn't stop. So, a lot of the technical work was done early between the ages of 6 and 12. When I was younger, I knew I was hitting more balls than any other kid growing up. 

Tell us a little more about how you ended up at St George and what your ambitions were in cricket at that point? 

There were a few reasons why I chose to come to St George. Obviously, the history was appealing with so many greats coming from the Saints and still playing. Both me and my father’s relationships with Hamish Solomons were also very important. Hurstville Oval was only 80 minutes away from home and my best mate was playing for St George at the time. My ambition then was to score runs and try and get into 1st Grade.

What do you remember of your first season at the club? 

I played the full year in 2nd Grade and PGs and while I didn’t have the best year, I was enjoying my cricket and playing with my best mate. 

Missing the 2020-21 season through a knee injury must have been a huge setback, what did you learn about the game and yourself in that period? 

I remember that I trained so hard that off season, and I really thought it was going to be my breakout season. So, when I did my knee one week before Round 1, I was gutted. I've had setbacks before with injuries, but this one was different. I had to figure it out, so I completely removed myself from cricket until I was given the ok to start rehab. I moved to Canberra to work with a team on my rehab and build my knee up so I could start hitting and running again. I refused to watch cricket and just did rehab. 

Once the dust had settled and I started to see progress and could hit balls again, I started to fall in love with cricket again. I became more focussed and began to realise that you can never take anything for granted. You just never know. 

We asked earlier what sets you aside as a kid and becoming a talent to be recognised. What sets you aside now from other cricketers?

Now I know my game. I know my weaknesses, but I also know my strengths and they are what I try to play to. I don't focus on others or see myself as any better, I just maintain my high work ethic and learn from my mistakes as quick as I can and move on from them. Each day is a new start. 

Talk us through some of your post game / post innings processes or are you generally pretty chilled and take it all as it comes?

Before every game I write down a few things like what my challenges for this game are, and how I want to play them (bowler, wicket etc). Post game, I reflect on what I did well and what I could’ve done better. I add those scenarios to my training during the week to give me some muscle memory, so I’m better prepared the next time that situation comes up. I try and keep it simple and not over complicate things. 

Explain briefly how you came to learn of:

a) Your Shield debut

I was actually playing a grade quarter final and had just been dismissed. I checked my phone and there was a message from my manager saying, “call me”. He said, “You’re getting a rookie contract and will be in the squad for the last Shield game”. At the time our St George season was basically over, but it was pretty tough to stop smiling after hearing that. 

b) Thunder debut

I got a call from Trevor (Bayliss) after a training session down in Canberra and he told me my mate Jason Sangha was injured, and I was in. I didn’t get much sleep that night and didn’t end up batting in that game anyway, so it was mixed feelings, but still super enjoyable.

Coming out of the challenge to cement a First Class career and many successful seasons in 1st Grade, what do you believe to be the main differences between the two levels?

The biggest difference between 1st Grade and First Class cricket is consistency and execution. You can get away with small lapses in grade cricket, like a missed run out due to a bad call, a half chance dropped catch or a loose shot. But at First Class level, half chances are taken, and those lapses can't happen. It’s relentless cricket and high intensity at all times, so you’ve really got to work out how to switch on and switch off and enjoy the moment while staying calm and in the fight.

Given you had such an amazing season last year with 1198 runs, and played the last Shield game, what are your goals for the next season or so? 

I just want to continue to improve in all areas of my game. My goals are based around my health and fitness. So, for me it’s about looking at my game and working out where can I improve. In what areas of the ground can I score more runs? And I go to work on those. 

Your century in the KSC T20 innings was described by many as one of the great St George innings. With St George in early trouble, at what point did you feel like the game was yours?

Once Kurtis Patterson, Blake Macdonald and Matt Rodgers got out, my only goal was to take it as deep as I could. I also knew being at North Sydney the runs would come, so I just had to give myself time and take it deep. The moment I knew we had it was after the surge where we managed to get a couple away to put us in front of the game. 

You’ve made some adjustments to your technique recently, how important were they to your success last season and will be for future success at higher levels?

They definitely played a factor. The changes were little, but it’s something that helped for sure. For me though, the big change and improvement was the work around the mental part of my game. It’s something I’m really going to keep working on this upcoming season. 

Where does the 2023-24 Belvidere Cup premiership rank in your growing collection of achievements?

Definitely right up there. Watching Nick Stapleton and Jonathon Craig Dobson fight and win us the first innings and set up the rest of the game for us was unreal. Being there with Blake Macdonald at the end was also a nice way to finish the year. 

Which cricketers or athletes have inspired you in your cricket career thus far?

I looked up to a lot of cricketers growing up including Simon Katitch, Ricky Ponting, Kevin Peterson and AB de Villiers. Michael Jordan was a big inspiration, not just for how great he was and what he achieved, but how he approached competition and thrived under pressure.

Outside of cricket, what other sports did you play as a youngster and what mainly occupies your spare time now?

I grew up playing rugby league and AFL, then started playing basketball with mates for fun until I did my knee. I now love to play a bit of tennis and occasionally golf in my spare time.

Would you consider yourself a red ball first cricketer or are you happy to keep working on all aspects equally?

I definitely see myself as a three format player. I love all three formats and want to play in all three. I do believe though, when my red ball game is going well the other two formats flow from that. 

You've had limited chances with your off spinners. Is it an area of your game you would like to continue to develop or at this crucial point of your career do you think you need to focus your energies on batting?

I definitely have some work to do, and it’s something I'm constantly working on and wanting to add to my game. 

In years from now, how do you wish to be remembered?

I’d like to be remembered as someone who took the game on and respected the game. A team first player. 

Blake Nikitaras on his way to another ton at Hurstville Oval

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