Sport
19 February, 2024
MDCA declares we’re here to stay after respectable first year back in Country Week
It’s well and truly official — Melbourne Country Week is back in vogue for the Maryborough District Cricket Association (MDCA) after a successful return to the competition. While the competition did not yield a place in Friday’s final for the...
It’s well and truly official — Melbourne Country Week is back in vogue for the Maryborough District Cricket Association (MDCA) after a successful return to the competition.
While the competition did not yield a place in Friday’s final for the MDCA, having lost their final round-robin game on Thursday by three wickets to the South West, the league can be thrilled with their efforts in understanding that they are not all that far away.
In Thursday’s game at Greenvale, an excellent innings from Laanecoorie Dunolly’s Sergio Rosier, who made 98 off 102 deliveries, helped set the MDCA up, but after his dismissal, a constant stream of wickets meant that they were all out for 218 off 45.3 overs.
In response, the MDCA got off to a good start, with Laane teammate Sam Bartlett claiming three early wickets to leave South West teetering on 3/37.
While Beaufort’s Lachlan Oddie claimed a further three wickets to leave the game still in the balance at 7/205, an unbeaten century from South West opener Eddie Lucas meant they were able to chase down the target with six overs to spare.
Such was the closeness of the competition, a win for the MDCA would have left them third, but instead, the loss left them seventh.
Having said that, there were still a number of positives to take out of the MDCA’s first Melbourne Country Week campaign since 2008.
A solid win over Sunraysia helped them claim victory after they were well-beaten by Ballarat on day one, which helped them get on an even ledger, and they were guaranteed that status at worst after another strong win on Wednesday at Windy Hill against Victorian Premier League outfit Kingston Hawthorn.
Rosier finished as the leading run-scorer for the week, with two knocks of 88 and 98 in his total of 187 runs for the week at an average of 46.75, while Maryborough captain Mitch McClure and Oddie added 132 runs apiece.
From a bowling perspective, Rosier was on top as well, taking seven wickets at an average of 20, while Bartlett claimed five wickets, Oddie four and Carisbrook’s Ritik Yadav also claimed four wickets.
From Andrew Oddie’s perspective, the MDCA were thrilled with the team’s attitude throughout the week.
“I’m very pleased with how they performed, and above all, very proud of the way they conducted themselves. We got glowing references about the boys during the week,” he said.
“Speaking to about half the team, they were all very positive, very happy and very exhausted. They are all glad they took the week and did it.”
Andrew said while the team were very close, and showed they can match it with many leagues across Victoria, there was still room for improvement.
“We probably just lacked a strike bowler and someone who came in with a bit more zip. From how the performances looked and the stats, the medium-pacers were very steady and didn’t give too much away,” he said.
“We’d love to tap into the very best in the competition, who unfortunately weren’t available for the week, which would help us be even closer.”
Andrew was hoping, from that end, there would be a bigger pool of players to pick from in 2025, with an emphasis on younger players who are touted as their next-generation selections.
“What we’d like to have ideally would be to have all the local guys who were available this year to do so again next year,” he said.
“We’re not sure what the international guys will do from this year to the next.
“We are hoping there is an extra 12 months development into the younger guys who are suddenly taking notice and seeing that there is representative cricket on and want to be in this.
“Joe Lovel was only too happy to put his hand up and play. Cooper Cahill is one of the next ones to come up.”
Andrew also confirmed plans are afoot for more senior representative cricket in 2025, now that there is a clearer path for the MDCA to participate.
“Grenville are keen to go again and play for the Sharp Shield, and if the Kenmac Shield isn’t up and running again — and there is a push from the Central Highlands to get it going, I have been asked by Castlemaine to consider a game with them too,” he said.
“There’s two opportunities for the team to get together under the best possible training conditions and have a hit out together.”
