Sport
11 January, 2024
MDCA set to make long-awaited return to Melbourne Country Week for first time in years
The Maryborough District Cricket Association (MDCA) is well down the path of organising a return to senior representative cricket, with plans afoot to return to the Melbourne Country Week carnival this year. The event is due to be held from February...
The Maryborough District Cricket Association (MDCA) is well down the path of organising a return to senior representative cricket, with plans afoot to return to the Melbourne Country Week carnival this year.
The event is due to be held from February 12-16, with the MDCA team due to play Ballarat at Eastern Oval on Monday, February 12, before embarking on their remaining games in Melbourne.
A match for the squad has currently been organised against the neighbouring Grenville Cricket Association for the Sharp Shield, due to be held at Princes Park on Sunday, January 21.
According to MDCA president Mark Allen, it’s a long-awaited return for the league to the biggest stage in senior representative cricket.
“It’s always been bubbling in the background, a return to Melbourne if the time was right, and it appears the time is right. We should have a fairly decent team based on who is available,” he said.
“The Melbourne Country Week have been really good and accommodating for us. They were keen to get us back into the fold, which is good. We’re hoping the weather will be good.”
For the MDCA’s Andrew Oddie, there’s a lot of excitement about the potential return of senior representative cricket, one of great importance given the strong form that the under 15s showed in their Country Week campaign, as well as an exciting squad named for the under 17s Kirton Shield campaign.
“It’s well and truly time that we got this up and going again,” he said.
“We’re very happy that Grenville put their hand up for a game on January 21 for the Sharp Shield, and get some interest in adult representative cricket for the kids coming through so that they know that there is also a path.”
Allen was similarly thrilled with the junior Country Week performance, as was the planned match with Grenville.
“Rep cricket was on hold for a while due to COVID, but it’s good that Grenville wanted to do it, and to be back on Princes Park playing rep cricket is awesome too, as every person in the league wants to play there,” he said.
“The junior stuff has been really good. We have had good people off-field for the junior part of the league.
“It was awesome to see the 15s do so well — you have a look at some of them in A grade, and there are some really good cricketers that have come out of there in the last few years.
“Carisbrook, Colts and Mary-borough have done a great job with their juniors in the last few years.
“To see senior rep cricket in Maryborough itself is even better.”
At this stage, a preliminary team has been drawn up, which is set to be led by Maryborough’s Mitch McClure as captain, with Laanecoorie Dunolly’s Sam Bartlett and Beaufort’s Lachlan Oddie named as vice-captains.
Players from last year’s MDCA team of the year were given first right of refusal, while every club in the district, including exclusive A reserve teams Natte Yallock, Talbot and MKM, were also offered the chance to submit players for consideration.
There is also a strong international flavour in the squad.
England’s Jack Smith and Joe Kingsbury are two of four Beaufort representatives in the squad, alongside Lachlan and Shannon Brown.
Sergio Rosier is one of four players from reigning champions Laanecoorie Dunolly in the squad, along with Bartlett, Tom Hannett and Daniel Romeo.
Dave Robinson is Colts’ sole representative in the team, as is Ritik Yadav for Carisbrook, who made an impressive debut with the ball in the Brookers’ match with Clunes last week.
Clunes have two players in the squad, with Jude McGuire and Lachlan Morganti slated to play, while McClure is Maryborough’s sole representative.
Andrew was thrilled to be able to have all six A grade teams in consideration, while also naming a strong squad full of international flavour.
“We were very happy that Carisbrook’s Ritik Yadav is in, which means we have someone from all the A grade clubs in the team to share it around a bit,” he said.
“The three clubs that don’t have A grade teams were all offered the opportunity to put names forward, but they didn’t put anyone forward or they couldn’t get anyone’s availability which could be more of the issue.
“It would be a hard time for someone to put their hand up and say they need time off work not long after a Christmas holiday.
“We’ll give our international players every opportunity that we can while they are here to play cricket. I only spoke to Dave Robinson for the first time on Saturday, while the others have been keen, as was Luke Smith, but unfortunately, he had to go back to South Africa.”
Speaking about the choices of the leadership group, Andrew said it was a good discussion with MDCA president Mark Allen, which resolved to ensure that there would be a mix of experience with McClure and Bartlett’s selection, and Lachlan’s presence as someone who can be moulded as a future leader.
“There were a lot of discussions between myself and Mark Allen. There wasn’t a lot of question about having those three in the leadership group, as they were the standouts,” he said.
“Mitch was a frontrunner as vice-captain of the team of the year last year, so his name was right up there. Sam has been there and done that. Mark’s idea was to target Lachlan as the next name to come through to take over down the line.”
Allen, himself, agreed with Oddie’s assessment of the leadership group.
“Sam Bartlett is a very good representative cricket who has made 100s at the level before. Lachlan Oddie is getting better every year and his all-round game has improved after being in England,” he said.
“Mitch McClure was a vice-captain in the team of the year last year, so we felt he was the right choice to lead the team, and he’s done a good job with a young Maryborough team.
“Mitch is also very keen to lead the Association, it’s good to have on your cricket resume.”
Of the players in the squad, Lachlan has enjoyed the best season with the bat, averaging 48.2 from his 289 runs, while Hannett is not far behind, averaging 39 from 273 runs.
Romeo has been the best bowler, taking 13 wickets at an average of 10.9 for the season, while Lachlan again stands out, having taken 11 wickets at an average of 11.1, while conceding just 3.1 runs an over.
Andrew says there is something for everyone in the squad.
“I don’t think there are any passengers with the bat at all, right down to our 11th. Whoever bats at 11 will be feeling a bit stiff,” he said.
“I wouldn’t want to be the one trying to fit the batting order at the moment.”
Allen is desperate, for his part, to see the MDCA start off Country Week on the right note before their trip into Melbourne.
“It would be nice to knock Ballarat off at the Eastern Oval to start with. It’s an unbelievable cricket ground,” he said.
The full fixture for the competition is set to be released in the near future.