Sport
21 March, 2024
All change in grand final weekend as Aaron McHoul takes over MDCA presidency from Mark Allen
The Maryborough District Cricket Association (MDCA) will be navigating grand final week with a new executive following the resignation of Mark Allen on Monday night. An extraordinary general meeting was called for Monday night following the...
The Maryborough District Cricket Association (MDCA) will be navigating grand final week with a new executive following the resignation of Mark Allen on Monday night.
An extraordinary general meeting was called for Monday night following the resignation of Caleb Cluff, Aaron McHoul and Gary Wagstaff from the MDCA executive.
Allen opened the meeting by declaring all positions vacant, with representatives from eight of the nine clubs in attendance.
While Allen was nominated for president, he opted to stand down, ending a 10-year reign which started in the 2014/15 season.
McHoul was eventually voted in as president of a new-look committee which contains McHoul, Andrew Oddie as vice-president, Ralph Williams as secretary, Sam Bartlett as treasurer and Leigh Koop as junior president.
The new executive comes as a tribunal case regarding an off-field incident between Clunes and Laanecoorie Dunolly was set to be heard last night, prior to the two clubs meeting in the grand final on Saturday and Sunday, regarding an issue which has been brewing for two months.
Allen said he wanted to give the league a fresh outlook by stepping down from his role.
“I didn’t want to have a battle on an important meeting for the league. I was the first person that was nominated, but I didn’t want to make it controversial, I wanted to give the league clean air,” he said.
“I indicated at the annual general meeting before this season that this would probably be my last season as I felt that 10 years was a fair run and I felt that someone else needed to come in and have a go.
“My focus has always been on the league, the cricket, the game itself and having the game continue to evolve and continue to try new things.”
Allen insisted that despite his involvement at the Clunes Cricket Club, on top of being league president, he was always adamant that he put the league first in any matter.
“I put my hand on my heart, I’ve always put the league first when I’ve been president. I have accom-modated clubs with fixturing at the start of the year when clubs have their challenges with their ground from football carryover, and I’ve tried to get the best games on the best grounds all the time,” he said.
“I always vehemently defended Maryborough in higher-level meetings. I never let anyone talk down on Maryborough or smaller associations. Once leagues are gone, that’s their history gone.
“I always tried to keep the game fresh and current and was prepared to bring things in to the league that people enjoyed. After all, it’s an outlet for your work life, and you want to play the game with your mates and have a good social outlet.
“It’s a great league with a lot of history. There’s a lot of cricketers who have played in this league who have achieved higher honours.”
Allen reminisced on a 10-year run which saw him work with like-minded people in the game, as well as what he brought to the league.
“When I became president, we didn’t have coloured clothing, we didn’t use the white ball, the best and fairest was still called the champion award, there was no award to recognise an umpire and there was no T20 cricket, which was being played in every other league in the zone,” he said.
“That took a while to get in, but I wanted to make the product as good as we could and as fresh as we could.
“When I first came in, the league basically had no money. But we’ve been able to get a major sponsor in every year, and I leave the league in a good financial position, so I’m pretty proud of that. It is what it is, I did it because I loved the game, and I always went into bat for this league.
“It’s not just me, it’s in consultation with the executives I’ve worked with. I mentioned it on Monday night, there’s a few that I made good friendships out of. We didn’t always agree, but it was for the betterment of the game. I hope this executive is the same.
"I mentioned the people I worked with on Monday night, as it was important to recognise all of them. If you try and make it a one-man show, it would all fall over. And if you’re not there for the game and the league, you are there for the wrong reasons.
“I hope the new executive are there for the right reasons. I have wished them well. I’ve had 10 years, and it’s been a great run as president.”
Incoming president McHoul is adamant that there will be transparency in his role, having no affiliation to a club, and is currently operating as an umpire in the league.
“I look at myself as being someone who has a clear objective, and I want to be transparent to anybody. There’s no bias to anybody and people are treated fairly,” he said.
“I’m not associated with any club. If there is a hard decision to be made, hopefully I am making a fair decision which is a benefit to the MDCA.”
While last night’s tribunal case was the first significant test of the new executive, with a resolution two months in the making unsolved at the time of production, McHoul said his biggest incentive as president was to ensure the culture of the league would allow younger audiences to participate in more cricket in the league.
“We are going to work on getting more kids involved to play cricket. If we have younger ones coming through, it will make it a lot easier for clubs to find cricketers,” he said.
“If people can spread the right word and say the Maryborough District Cricket Association is a good league to play cricket for, we should get more people interested in playing cricket. It can only help the Association to function.”
That includes Melbourne Country Week, which McHoul believes is a key factor in improving the relationship between teams and players in the league.
“Getting a Country Week side in and having a go opens it up for anybody playing in the MDCA. If any cricketer wants to go to Country Week, they are more than welcome. I’m not concerned about the result, I’m more concerned that people take the MDCA seriously as we have put a side in,” he said.
“It gives a chance for these guys who are playing to meet the players who they play cricket against, and they get to see the good in them and not just as an opposition player.
“We want to make sure everyone plays the game in the right spirit and within the laws, and have a bit of fun.”