Sport
8 January, 2024
Excitement builds as Country Week continues, with MDCA under 17s ready to go
With Country Week fever taking hold across the state, the Maryborough District Cricket Association’s (MDCA) under 17s are preparing for Kirton Shield action, with captain Joe Lovel believing it could be the best team yet. After finally returning...
With Country Week fever taking hold across the state, the Maryborough District Cricket Association’s (MDCA) under 17s are preparing for Kirton Shield action, with captain Joe Lovel believing it could be the best team yet.
After finally returning to the competition after a long hiatus last year, Laanecoorie Dunolly’s Lovel believes the team is ready to take the next step into becoming a true contender for further honours this year, particularly after the success of the under 15s in their recent Country Week competition.
“Looking at the under 15s, and seeing what is coming through, it’s good to see that the future of the league is in good hands,” he said.
“Last year didn’t go to plan, but it was a building year — we just wanted to get a team going again as we hadn’t had one in Kirton Shield for a while, so we wanted to do that and now we can launch for this.
“With the 15s going well, it gives me great security that we can have good players coming through, and this year, we can really go for it.”
Under the tutelage of Martin Mark, Lovel believes there’s plenty to get excited about.
“I’m feeling very confident with the team we have; we have a great list,” he said.
“Marty is a great coach and he’s been around the list for the last three years now, whether it be Country Week or at Carisbrook, we all get along with him. He’s great to be around the team.
“I’m confident that we can take it up to the bigger associations.”
Lovel will be joined in the leadership group by vice-captain — and best mate — Colts Phelans’ Harrison Kurzke, and while he will cherish that as a memory, he knows that everyone also has the ability to step up as a leader for the team.
“It’s always good to run out with your best mate and opening the batting, and to have Harrison Kurzke as vice-captain is something I’ll cherish for a long time, I know that much,” he said.
“Everyone on this team can be a leader as well. The camaraderie we have is great. Someone like Cooper Cahill from Beaufort, who has come into the team, has slotted right in. Everyone gets along and I think that’s why we should be a good team.”
Along with Kurzke and Cahill, Lovel also earmarked Maryborough’s Lachlan Bursill and Carisbrook’s Cooper Mark for a big competition this year, while noting that the training sessions have been fiercely competitive.
“Everyone has taken their game to the next level during the training sessions,” he said.
“Someone like Lachlan Bursill, who has his confidence through the roof at the moment, he’s been scoring runs. He told me earlier in the season he wasn’t sure which game it was going to be, but he thought he was going to get a big score, and that’s the kind of confidence we need, because he is one to watch.
“He can put anyone out of the ground the way he has been batting, and not just with his 100 in A reserve, but also a handy knock a few weeks ago in A grade. He can do it, and he backs himself in, and that’s why he’s so dangerous.
“Cooper Mark is another who has taken his game to a new level because he’s been working really hard and his confidence. You can really see it starting to pay off in the nets.”
And for Lovel himself?
“You always go in confident, regardless of whether you are there for three balls or 30 balls,” he said.
“It’s what you do with them that counts, and it’s the same with bowling. There’s no point not being confident, because then the other team will get on top of you.
“It’s going to be a big challenge for our batters. We did struggle to bat out innings last year, but we are going to take it on. We want these bigger associations to throw everything at us, and we’ll take it head on. We’ll give it our best, and whatever happens, happens.”
Lovel will also take his leadership from the mould of those who have shaped him across A grade over the last two seasons, particularly reigning Ken Gibbs Medallist Samit Gohil and current Laane captain Matt Smith.
“Samit and Matt shape my game. A lot of what I say when I’m captain comes from the experience I’ve had from them, and having those leaders around me makes sure that I have clear instructions for what I need to do for the team, and I can transfer that to this team as well,” he said.
The MDCA will have an intriguing three-game slate scheduled for next week, with a trip to Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve to open their competition on Monday, January 15, followed by a game against Gisborne at Kyneton Recreation Reserve the next day. A rest day follows, before their final round-robin game against Ballarat on Thursday, January 18 at Carisbrook Recreation Reserve.
For Lovel, the added challenge of travelling is one that he’s ready to take head on.
“We were lucky enough to get two home games at Hedges Oval last year, but we’re looking forward to travelling. That’s the test of Country Week — you travel everywhere, you play every day, and it gives someone the chance to step up every day,” he said.
“If you look at the scores, you never see just one person dominate. It’s rare, and that’s what we’re looking for, someone to step up every day and to take the team to a win. We don’t want anyone to be intimidated by the reputation and say that we can beat these teams.
“Castlemaine is always a close game; Gisborne was a game where we were in it last year for the majority of the day. Ballarat have had the wood over us, but that’s not to say we can’t beat them.
“Every year is different, and I’m confident this team can match it with anyone from the Central Highlands region.”