Sport
22 November, 2024
MDCA names powerful rep cricket squad
The Maryborough District Cricket Association (MDCA) has named a preliminary squad for both the Sharp Shield, as well as next year’s anticipated Melbourne Country Week.
An incredible mix of players who have performed strongly with both bat and ball, experienced players and impressionable younger players have all been named in the 22-man squad.
However, there are withdrawals from last season’s MDCA Team of the Year through personal reasons, or overseas players who didn’t return to the competition.
The MDCA’s representative campaign will begin on December 1 with the Sharp Shield rematch against Grenville, which was won by the MDCA by 53 runs at Princes Park in January.
It was the first meeting between the two teams since 2019, and was such a success that another match has been commissioned.
With the MDCA employing turf wickets, the game has been scheduled for Beaufort’s Goldfields Reserve.
Reigning Ken Gibbs Medallist, Beaufort’s Lachlan Oddie, is the headline name in the squad, and he’ll be joined by five more Crows, with all-rounders Thomas Alexander and Joe Kingsbury in the squad, while exciting young bowler Ben Grant will also make a return after his performance against Grenville in Janaury. Pacemen Joel Pymer and Jayden Scotland will also make appearances.
Runaway leader Laanecoorie Dunolly have a league-leading eight players in the squad. Sam Bartlett and Daniel Romeo will return after playing significant roles last season, while top-order batsmen Tom Hannett and Tom Hart will also be in the squad.
The international influence continues, with current leading run-scorer and wicket-taker Alex Cook named, as is Kamaljot Romana, having stunned in his first two appearances for Laane.
Consistent bowler Joe Lovel and all-rounder Zach Graham completes the Laane influence.
Colts Phelans has four players named, with Rhys Egan named following a terrific start to the season with the bat, while the English influence continues, with Regan Goundry, Max Jackson and Charlie Scorer all named in the squad.
Carisbrook have two repre-sentatives in the squad, with Liam Hurse and Dean Nalder able to provide excellent top-order hitting.
Clunes have young sensation Brett Coon in the squad, having impressed in taking six wickets so far this season, while Maryborough also has an influence in the squad, with Ben Hoban named to provide plenty of experience at the top of the order.
If changes need to be made, the MDCA will have the option to include players whose performance warrants selection.
Melbourne Country Week, this season, will be held across the week of February 10-13, with a final on February 14 if the MDCA qualifies, and with the addition of the Grenville and Gisborne associations, Country Week could become a three-division competition.
are-able will be the key sponsor of the MDCA rep teams.
THE INITIAL SQUAD AND THEIR STATS IN 2024/25 SO FAR:
Thomas Alexander (Beaufort, all-rounder): 49 runs at 12.3, best score 18, seven wickets at 16.7, best figures 4/32.
Ben Grant (Beaufort, bowler): six wickets at 20.3, best figures 3/41.
Joe Kingsbury (Beaufort, all-rounder): 50 runs at 12.5, best score 28, two wickets at 65.5, best figures 1/34.
Lachlan Oddie (Beaufort, all-rounder): 89 runs at 44.5, best score 60, four wickets at 13.3, best figures 3/12.
Joel Pymer (Beaufort, bowler): three wickets at 12.7, best figures 3/38.
Jayden Scotland (Beaufort, bowler): 62 runs at 31, best score 46, seven wickets at 18.4, best figures 3/45.
Liam Hurse (Carisbrook, all-rounder): 104 runs at 34.3, best score 60, five wickets at 24.8, best figures 2/34.
Dean Nalder (Carisbrook, all-rounder): 147 runs at 49, best score 63, six wickets at 24.2, best figures 3/37.
Brett Coon (Clunes, bowler): six wickets at 23.5, best figures 4/33.
Rhys Egan (Colts Phelans, batsman): 125 runs at 41.7, best score 60.
Regan Goundry (Colts Phelans, all-rounder): 96 runs at 48, best score 53, seven wickets at 10.3, best figures 4/25.
Max Jackson (Colts Phelans, all-rounder): 47 runs at 15.7, best score 38, three wickets at 25.3, best figures 2/22.
Charlie Scorer (Colts Phelans, all-rounder): 64 runs at 32, best score 52, four wickets at 21, best figures 2/28.
Sam Bartlett (Laanecoorie Dunolly, all-rounder): 71 runs at 35.5, best score 38, three wickets at 26, best figures 2/32.
Alex Cook (Laanecoorie Dunolly, all-rounder): 251 runs at 83.7, best score 116, 12 wickets at 3.8, best figures 6/7.
Zach Graham (Laanecoorie Dunolly, all-rounder): 37 runs at 18.5, best score 18, three wickets at 18.3, best figures 2/21.
Tom Hannett (Laanecoorie Dunolly, batsman): 180 runs at 60, best score 86.
Tom Hart (Laanecoorie Dunolly, batsman): 97 runs at 24.3, best score 63.
Joe Lovel (Laanecoorie Dunolly, all-rounder): 30 runs at 10, best score 14, seven wickets at 12.9, best figures 5/24.
Kamaljot Romana (Laanecoorie Dunolly, all-rounder): 152 runs at 76, best score 86, three wickets at 10.3, best figures 2/13.
Daniel Romeo (Laanecoorie Dunolly, all-rounder): 12 runs, no average, best score 12, three wickets at 13.3, best figures 2/21.
Ben Hoban (Maryborough, batsman): 84 runs at 21, best score 42 (A reserve).