Sport
10 October, 2025
MDCA 2025-26 season set to begin
The iconic sights and sounds of swinging seamers, brilliant batting and classic catches are set to return to pitches across the district this weekend as the Maryborough District Cricket Association (MDCA) gears to launch a new season.
There’s a bubbling feeling of excitement surrounding the MDCA’s upcoming campaign, with both senior divisions increasing in numbers.
A grade will return to a six-team competition thanks to the reintroduction of Maryborough, which is something MDCA president Aaron McHoul said he’s thrilled about.
“It makes it a lot easier now having six sides in A grade. It also means Maryborough can retain their kids a lot more, they don’t have to venture to other clubs because they can play A reserve or, if they are good enough, they can step up to play A grade,” he said.
Maryborough will join an A grade competition that is noticeably different from when they were last involved. Chief among those changes is a newly implemented points system, which, according to McHoul, was introduced to limit a club’s capacity to bring in talented overseas players and focus their attention on developing local talent.
“Basically, what it works out to is each side is allocated a certain number of points to get their A grade side on the field, which means we can’t have a side going out and buying a premiership as such,” he said.
“We unofficially trialled it last season just to see how it would work. We got the bugs out of it and then were able to implement it this year.”
Another big change is who currently sits as the kings of the MDCA, as Colts Phelans ended Laanecoorie Dunolly’s historic run of dominance with a watershed grand final victory against Carisbrook last season.
With several key departures from their premiership-winning team over the off-season, the Colts have been one of the many teams engaging in an arms race ahead of what looks to be a highly competitive competition.
With reigning one-day premiers Laanecoorie Dunolly determined to maintain their ongoing dynasty, Carisbrook hoping to capitalise on their remarkable run to the Grand Final with a crop of emerging young talent and Beaufort and Clunes looking to break through and obtain ultimate glory in A grade along with new boys Maryborough, it’s anticipated to be an exciting season.
A reserve was scheduled to go from an eight-team to a 10-team competition, with Avoca making its return to senior cricket for the first time since 2022/23 and Beaufort fielding two A reserve sides.
However, just over a week out from the competition being scheduled to start, Talbot Cricket Club announced yesterday that they have been forced to pull out of the upcoming season due to a lack of playing numbers.
That will mean A reserve will be contested among nine teams, with reigning premiers Clunes looking to pry away last season’s runners-up, Colts Phelans, Carisbrook, Laanecoorie Dunolly, MKM and Maryborough, along with Avoca and the two Beaufort teams.
Once again, the MDCA will only have one junior competition with the under 13 mixed, with several MDCA clubs (Carisbrook, Colts Phelans and Laanecoorie Dunolly) fielding under 16 teams in the Castlemaine District Cricket Association.
McHoul said he’s confident the return of the association’s own under 16s competition is imminent, stating the next generation is key to the MDCA’s longevity.
“It’s definitely in the future because that’s where all the sides get their cricketers from. If you get your juniors playing, you can nurture them to play cricket and allow them to take the next step,” he said.
“That’s been proven with Maryborough being able to put their A grade side back up because they have got some good young kids coming through.
“What we have got to try and do is get juniors to play cricket, whether they are male or female. The more kids that we get playing cricket, if we can get kids involved, the sport should grow.”
The MDCA’s 2025/26 A grade will commence this weekend with Maryborough hosting Carisbrook at Ron Sinclair Oval, Colts Phelans squaring off against Beaufort and Laanecoorie Dunolly taking on Clunes.
A reserve will commence on October 18 with Laanecoorie Dunolly facing Beaufort Blue, MKM playing Carisbrook and Colts Phelans visting Maryborough. Clunes will have the bye after they were scheduled to face Talbot and Avoca’s clash with Beaufort Red has been pushed back to December 7.