Sport
11 October, 2024
MDCA ready for rock-and-rolling 2024/25 season, despite dropping to five-team A grade comp
It looks set to be a vastly different Maryborough District Cricket Association (MDCA) season in 2024/25, with a new committee hoping to escape the tumultuous finish and controversy from last season.
Although the result on the field was straightforward, with Laanecoorie Dunolly claiming their fifth consecutive March premiership, it came after a week of chaos at board level, with former president Mark Allen stepping down during grand final week, following the resignation of Caleb Cluff, Aaron McHoul and Gary Wagstaff from the MDCA executive.
As a result, McHoul was voted in as president.
The existing drama from last season, which resulted from a significant feud between Clunes and Laanecoorie Dunolly players and saw the Magpies significantly breach MDCA by-laws in the process, was resolved last week after a lengthy appeal process, with Clunes successfully appealing the severity of their club punishments, which had included a significant fine and loss of premiership points.
Instead, the Magpies were fined $3000, and do not lose premiership points.
McHoul is determined to put last season’s drama firmly in the rear-view mirror and build up a successful MDCA now, as a result.
“We want to try get the culture right in the MDCA and try and get more kids to play cricket,” he said.
“We’re all on the same page, we’ve redone the rules and the by-laws so every club gets it, and basically, each club now knows what they have to do to get the culture right in the league.
“That (the tribunal) was sorted out last Wednesday night. The fine was reduced down to $3000, and I have no problem with that. Clunes don’t lose any points, that I have no problem with, and they have a suspended sentence for two years, which means they have to make sure their supporters and cricketers do the right thing.”
However, there is a speed bump that the new executive has to manage, with Maryborough recently pulling out of the A grade competition.
It is the second time the Owls have pulled out in recent years, having done so in 2021-22.
However, the Owls will still have a senior presence, instead playing in the A reserve competition, while the success of their under 16s last season means hopes remain for a successful A grade team in the near future.
“From a league perspective, as long as Maryborough has juniors coming through, it will get their A grade team back up (longer term). That’s our line from needing more kids coming through to play cricket, which would mean that other teams wouldn’t have to buy players to make a side,” McHoul said.
The announcement of Mary-borough pulling out of A grade joined the decision of Natte Yallock to go into recess, meaning the Swans will not be participating in A reserve.
But with Laanecoorie Dunolly returning to the A reserve competition, there will again be eight clubs vying for glory in 2024/25.
Short-term, McHoul is hoping to add to the existing five teams in the A grade competition, and says there is interest in teams joining the MDCA.
“I’m hoping we get another couple of teams from another league as well. Anybody who wants to come join the league, we are more than willing. There were two sides who asked to join the competition last year, and it was said that they were too late. We wrote a letter this year to see if they were keen,” he said.
If not, McHoul has said plans are in place to ensure the fairness of the competition in the short term, despite an uneven number of byes for each team this season.
“The sides who only have two byes this year, if we still have the same number of teams next year, they’ll have three byes, and the teams that have three byes will have two. We have structured the draw where no one loses out in the longer term,” he said.
The MDCA were close to re-establishing the under 16 competition after it was ended last season due to just three teams declaring their availability, but the Owls, Colts Phelans and Carisbrook will again head to Castlemaine to play junior cricket this season.
“We thought we’d have four teams, but one team couldn’t quite get one together, so it looks like three teams will go to Castlemaine again,” McHoul said.
There are also changes to the formats being played this season.
There will be no T20 cricket throughout the balance of the season, with clubs largely shunning the format.
Instead, there will now be eight one-day games and five two-day games, with the two-day format starting in the middle of December instead of the start of the new year, as has been the case in recent years.
McHoul revealed the preference for T20 cricket was a two-week competition.
“A lot of clubs weren’t really into playing the T20 format, because it was so short a game, and I think also there were a few clubs in the competition who didn’t want to play for points, they preferred a two-week competition, with the two best teams in the final,” he said.
Pleasingly for the league, umpire numbers have increased from four to six, with the potential to add more according to McHoul — himself an umpire within the competition.
“We have six umpires this year as well, and we are waiting on another one. So we might have seven umpires before Christmas to umpire all games,” he said.
There are many exciting competitions for cricket supporters to look forward to in 2024/25, with the return of junior Country Week in January, and a potential upturn of senior representative cricket, including the Sharp Shield, a potential return of the Kenmac Shield which was discussed last year, and senior Country Week in Melbourne, which saw the MDCA make a successful return after a 16-year absence with two wins from four games.
The first round of A grade will see Clunes and Beaufort meet at Bull Millgate Oval, while Colts Phelans will host Carisbrook at Hedges Oval. Laanecoorie Dunolly will have the bye.
A reserve will begin next week, with Laanecoorie Dunolly’s return to the competition seeing them host Maryborough, while reigning premier Clunes and Carisbrook meet. MKM and Beaufort will do battle, as will Talbot and Colts Phelans.
The Castlemaine under 16 competition will also get underway next week, with Maryborough hosting Castlemaine United at Jubilee Oval, while Carisbrook will host Muckleford. Colts Phelans will travel to Western Reserve to take on Castlemaine United.
For a full, club-by-club preview of this season's Maryborough District Cricket Association, please turn to pages 27 and 28 of today's edition.