General News
5 October, 2023
MDCA Season Preview — President Mark Allen excited for prospect of season 2023/24
Cricketers around the Maryborough district are buckling up for a full season in the Maryborough District Cricket Association (MDCA), which starts tomorrow. With warmer weather forecast throughout summer, it appears that the league will avoid...
Cricketers around the Maryborough district are buckling up for a full season in the Maryborough District Cricket Association (MDCA), which starts tomorrow.
With warmer weather forecast throughout summer, it appears that the league will avoid a repeat of last season, with seven of the first eight games of the scheduled A grade season washed out.
However, once things finally got underway, it was an action-packed season, with Laanecoorie Dunolly leading the way in delivering both the one-day and two-day premier-ships, driven by Samit Gohil, who delivered an all-time season in leading both the batting and bowling én route to the Ken Gibbs Medal.
According to MDCA president Mark Allen, the 2023/24 edition of the competition looks to be even bigger, with a full complement of teams coming in to A grade, which means that a fair, equitable draw of all teams playing each other once in all formats is the result.
“It’s good to have Carisbrook back, after spending a period of time away and winning the last two A reserve premierships,” he said.
“It makes the fixture uniform when you can have all three formats seeing everyone play each other once.”
Allen believes this could be one of the tightest seasons in recent memory.
“To me, it seems pretty even, hearing around the traps, but it should be a competitive season in all three formats,” he said.
There seems to be a new urgency about the season, with all six clubs making big moves.
Laanecoorie Dunolly have not messed around in their quest to make it five March premierships in succession, making the biggest move of the summer by signing Sam Bartlett from Maryborough, while they will also welcome South African cricketers Sergio Rossier and Luke Smith next week.
Meantime, Clunes have added to their stocks, bringing in all-rounder Lachlan Morganti from Maryborough, and with his influence alongside Ashley Gunn, the Magpies look set to be one of the biggest handfuls with the ball.
Colts Phelans and Beaufort will have a distinct English flavour this year, with Colts picking up Dave Robinson, while Beaufort welcome Jack Smith and Joe Kingsbury.
Maryborough will turn to younger talents to help regenerate their club as they continue to bounce back in their second season out of recess, while Carisbrook’s return will be spearheaded by new coach Chris Lee, who has had plenty of experience in the MDCA.
Allen believes it all adds to the drama and urgency of the upcoming season.
“It’s intriguing to see the moves from one season to the next, especially with a few people looking for fresh starts. Lachlan Morganti, for example, played football in Clunes and got to know a few people outside of cricket. Sam Bartlett will also be a big in for Dunolly, and he is one of the better cricketers in the league,” he said.
“It regenerates the competition every year to see new names in, different people doing well and it brings extra interest to the league. From my point of view last year, for example, Samit Gohil was the best player that’s played in the league from my time, and it was good to see a guy of that class playing in the league.”
There are also big moves in the A reserve competition, which starts on October 28, with the fixture allowing all teams to play each other twice, with an eight-team competition.
However, it has come at a cost, with Laanecoorie Dunolly and Avoca pulling out.
Nevertheless, Allen is excited about the prospect of that competition this year, especially given Natte Yallock’s impending 50-year celebration, which will be celebrated in February.
“Natte Yallock requested to have a home game in February, which was to be against Avoca or Talbot, so they’ll be playing against Talbot for their 50th year celebration,” he said.
“It’s good that they have something to celebrate and it brings something extra to celebrate with the extra prestige, compared to just a normal home and away game.”
There will also be changes to the junior competition, with all under 16 teams playing in the Castlemaine league after Laanecoorie Dunolly pulled out, while a full under 13s competition looks set to thrill.
“We need four teams to run a competition, and unfortunately, Laane Dunolly haven’t been able to get an under 16s team up. For the interim, it’s good from Castlemaine to take on our under 16s, but we still have a full complement of under 13s cricketers, which is good,” Allen said.
The A grade season starts this week, with Laanecoorie Dunolly travelling to Clunes as they play for the Richards/Templeton Cup, while a local derby will also headline round one, with Colts Phelans and Maryborough taking each other on at Hedges Oval. Carisbrook’s return to A grade will see them host their first game at the refurbished Carisbrook Recreation Reserve against Beaufort, who will be desperate to get on the board after enduring a winless season in 2022/23.
