Sport
10 October, 2025
MDCA 2025-26 Season Preview — Maryborough
Following a year's hiatus, the Maryborough Cricket Club is geared to make a noticeable impact in their A grade return, and they don’t seem keen just to make up the numbers.
After player unavailability forced them to field one team last season, the Owls were premiership favourites heading into the 2024/25 A reserve finals after ending the regular season on top of the ladder with 11 wins.
Despite eventual premiers Clunes rolling Maryborough in the semi-final, their regular season success galvanised the Owls to fly back up to the MDCA’s premier competition.
While they won’t coronate the moment at Princes Park, which is currently going through a wicket redevelopment expected to be completed in the new year, club president Troy Bursill said Saturday’s season opener against Carisbrook will be a landmark moment for the club.
“While we’re aiming to be competitive and push for finals, we’re just thrilled to have two teams back out on the park,” he said.
“We feel we’ve put together a really balanced team and hope everyone who takes the field can make an impact throughout the year.
“We appreciate the support of the MKM Cricket Club, who are allowing us to play our A grade home games prior to Christmas at the Mill while our wickets are being redeveloped.”
On paper, Maryborough looks to have the talent to make the step up to the higher competition.
They boast reigning A reserve player of the year, Jason Hunt and Ben Hoban, who scored 312 runs in the Owls' last A grade season. Former MDCA Country Week and Team of the Year player Mitch McClure is also set to return to the club this season, a massive boost for a A grade side.
They will be joined by some of the Owls' most promising prospects who flourished in the A reserve competition last season.
After leading Maryborough’s A grade side in wickets the year prior, Jasper Trickey was a reliable partnership breaker last summer, finishing in the top 10 wicket takers in A reserve with 15 breakthroughs.
Trickey was one of three Maryborough juniors selected for the MDCA under 17 representative team last season, alongside Sam Ross, who also impressed with the ball in A reserve with 14 wickets.
While he didn’t feature in senior cricket as much as his representative teammates, Oliver Cassidy showed his credentials in the Castlemaine District Cricket Association’s under 16s, winning the batting title with a barely believable average of 143.
After an extra season of senior seasoning, Bursill said Maryborough’s next generation is ready to make an impact.
“The likes of Trickey, Lachlan Bursill, Cassidy, Sam Thomson and Ross have all shown what they’re capable of, and we can’t wait to see them take things up another level in 2025/26,” he said.
“On top of this, young talents Kaleb Jardine and Jaxson Carmody are stepping up from the U16s and will be looking to make an impact in A reserve as well.”
Adding extra buzz surrounding the Owls nest has been the recruitment of some international talent in the form of the UK’s Alex Burrow, Oliver Bennett and Elliot Ashburn, watershed additions which excite Bursill.
“The boys have already brought great energy to the club and settled in really well,” he said.
“Each offers something a little different on the field — with Burrow and Bennett strengthening the top order and Ashburn adding depth as a bowling all-rounder. We can’t wait to see them in action this weekend.”
Anthony Sequeira is another notable player part of Maryborough’s extensive recruiting class, fresh off a premiership season at Kilsyth Cricket Club, where he scored 396 runs.