Sport
3 October, 2025
Maryborough Owls back in MDCA A grade
Following a season sabbatical, the Maryborough Owls are preparing for a hooting return to the Maryborough District Cricket Association’s (MDCA) A grade competition starting next weekend.
After earning only one victory in the MDCA’s top division during the 2023/24 season, player unavailability forced the Maryborough Cricket Club to field just one team last season.
Faced with a problematic predicament, the Owls made the tough decision to pull out of A grade in a bid to rebuild their strength with a developing team in A reserve.
That decision proved to be fruitful, as Maryborough finished on top of the A reserve ladder after the regular season before losing their semi-final to eventual premiers Clunes.
Their on-field success, coupled with some new players coming on board mid-season, signalled to club president Troy Bursill that the Owls could make a quick return to A grade.
“I think the community thought that we wouldn’t get it back because once a senior team leaves any sport, it’s very hard to get it reinstated,” Bursill said.
“It was certainly something that we never wanted to lose. At the start of the year, we knew we weren’t going to have enough for two sides.
“Our sponsors have been big in supporting us and have been some of the biggest drivers in getting our A grade team back.
“We are excited, and I think the association is excited to have us back too.”
Fellow committee members Ben Robertson and Bradey Tranter have played key roles alongside Bursill to not only get the A grade team up and running, but make it on paper a very competitive outfit.
While last season’s A reserve player of the year, Jason Hunt, leads a talented group staying with the Owls, the club has made a noticeable effort to bolster their lineup with a UK trifecta of Alex Burrow, Oliver Bennett and Elliot Ashburn.
Tranter, who’s been named A grade captain, said there’s a strong buzz around the club for the upcoming season.
“Everybody is up and about. One thing we focused on last season was having a lot of fun and we will keep on having that mindset,” he said.
“It’s been a long task, but the numbers this year seem really good and hopefully that shows on the pitch with two competitive sides.”
A key reason behind the Owls’ decision to play in A reserve last season was to promote the growth of promising youngsters like Jasper Trickey, Oliver Cassidy and Sam Thomson.
With an extra season of senior cricket under their belt, Robertson said the next generation is ready to make their mark in A grade.
“As a club, you want to have the opportunity for those kids to develop and play at the highest level,” he said.
“You want the best cricketers to play in our competition and if there is no A grade side for them to play in, they are just going to go elsewhere.
“Those younger boys were thrown up to bat at three and open the bowling in A grade two seasons ago and lost their love for the game a little bit.
“Last year, being able to play around with some older heads in A reserve and not get touched up every weekend gave them that confidence to know they are capable.”
Their A grade return isn’t the only consequential news coming out of the Owls’ nest, as the club’s turf wickets at Princes Park are currently being redone.
The upgrades will include a new fourth wicket to allow longer times in between using pitches and a standalone irrigation system.
With works expected to go into early 2026, the A grade team will start their season playing their home games at MKM’s Ron Sinclair Oval, while the A reserve side will host matches at nearby Jubilee Oval.
While the ground-sharing situation is less than ideal, Robertson said it’s a short-term pain for a long-term gain.
“It’s been quite a costly project, but in the end it will certainly be a big benefit for us,” he said.
“(The wickets) were outdated, I think we were the only club that I’m aware of in our association that had to take a hose out there and sprinkle the water onto the wickets.
“While the wickets have always played really well lately, it has been a lot of work for our volunteers.
“MKM has been really great to us. They are going to allow us to play our home games there.”
Any players interested in joining the Maryborough Cricket Club for the upcoming season are encouraged to email the club at maryboroughcricketclub@gmail.com or visit the Maryborough Cricket Club on Facebook.