Teams reveal Melbourne Country Week squads

Regional Victoria’s best cricketers will descend on the city for Melbourne Country Week starting today. Here are the players with the honour of representing their local association.

It’s finally back.

After a three-year absence, Melbourne Country Week is set to return on Monday as cricket associations from across regional Victoria make the trip to the big smoke.

The 2023 competition will see just two divisions of action as the Bendigo District Cricket Association aims to defend its provincial title from 2020.

The Bairnsdale and Leongatha and District associations have both made the step up to the top tier after competing in the Division 2 final three years ago.

Here’s a look at the selected squads for next week’s competition.

MELBOURNE COUNTRY WEEK SQUADS

Bairnsdale: Reagan Kyle (Meerlieu, captain), Luke Endley (Orbost, vice-captain), Francois Mostert (Meerlieu), Max Welsh (Orbost), Dylan Jordan (Orbost), Ricky Tattnal (St Mary’s Nagle), Jack Lind (West Bairnsdale), Stephan Bertino (WyYung), Jarryd Floyd (Lucknow), Brodie Anderson (West Bairnsdale), Sam Stewart (West Bairnsdale), Robbie Millar (Orbost), Rohan Blandford (Meerlieu), Hayden Erfurth (Lindenow South/Glen). Manager: Scott Davidson, Scorer/Busdriver: Damien Tubb.

Ballarat: Matt Aikman (Ballarat Redan), Liam Brady (Wendouree), Sajith Dissanayaka (Naps Sebas), Jacob Eyers (East Ballarat), Harry Ganley (East Ballarat), Zac Jenkins (Ballarat Redan), Harry Killoran (Darley), Jason Knowles (Brown Hill), Tom Le Lievre (Mt Clear), Rory Low (East Ballarat), Ash McCafferty (Wendouree), Nathan Patrikeos (Ballarat Redan), Viraj Pushpakumara (Naps Sebas), Heath Pyke (Wendouree).

Bendigo District: Grant Waldron (captain), Liam Smith (vice-captain), Brayden Stepien, Kyle Humphrys, Daniel Clohesy, Clayton Holmes, Taylor Beard, Tim Wood, Matt Wilkinson, Dylan Johnstone, Rhys Irwin, Joel Murphy, Jack Pysing.

Ferntree Gully and District: Nathan Walsh (Lysterfield, captain), Cameron Wheeler (Upwey, vice-captain), Jake Toohey (FTG), Aaron Brunner (Belgrave), Trent Atkinson (Knoxfield), David Smyth (Eildon Park, WK), Jake Sali (St Johns), Lachlan Jansen (Upwey, WK), Anthony Brolic (Lysterfield), Luke McComb (FTG Footballers), Jay Collee (Upwey), Percy Hyett (Olinda), Ollie Todd (Johnson Park), Trishane De Silva (Rowville), Jake Sherriff (Basin), Jackson Waters (Upwey), Tom Brady (UFTG).

Geelong: Sean O’Neil (East Belmont), Sam Hall (North Geelong), Jordan Moran (Grovedale), Leigh Lorenzen (South Barwon), Alistair McCann (North Geelong), Luke Webb (Murgheboluc), Ryan Gibson (South Barwon), Dylan McMahon (East Belmont), Dale Kerr (North Geelong), George Rhodes (Newtown & Chilwell), Jack Driver (Geelong City), Austin Humphreys (St Joseph’s), Michael McNeel (Grovedale), Locky Inglis (East Belmont), Josh Lacey (East Belmont), Philip Visser (Waurn Ponds-Deakin), Greg Willows (Highton) — availabilities to be confirmed.

Latrobe Valley: Robert Webber, Tim Fitch, Alex Burcombe, Ayden Connolly, Jackson Noonan, Kian Farnsworth, Joseph Stuart, Rhys Holdsworth, Josh Monacella (WK), George Cheshire, John Keighran, Callum Grant, Royce Colgrace, Rob Wilkie, Harri McColl, Reece Falla.

Leongatha and District: Mitchell Clark, Tim Wightman, Amila Ratnaike, Joel Brann, Jack Ginnane, Ethan Lamers, David Newman, Thomas Keily, Madura Madusanka, Ryan Williams, Harry Hoekstra, Mudassar Riaz, Jack Butcher, Charith Keerthisinghe, Daniel Mock, Ben Hanrahan, Shiran Rathnayake.

Mornington Peninsula: Bobby Wilson (Sorrento, captain), Justin Grant (Old Peninsula, vice-captain), Rhys Elmi (Baden Powell), Yohan Maddege (Baxter), Kierran Voelkl (Dromana), Sam Gove (Flinders), Matt Prosser (Langwarrin), Aiden McKenna (Long Island), Daniel Kelly (Long Island), Cameron Moon (Mornington), Harley Peace-Stirling (Pines), Patrick Nagel (Rosebud), Sam Holland-Burch (Tyabb).

Sale-Maffra: Dylan Bolton (Boisdale-Briagolong, captain), Jack Tatterson (Stratford, vice-captain), Jack Rietschel (Stratford), Zac Hurley (Collegians), Tom Morrison (Collegians), Adrian Burgiel (Collegians), Nathan Whitford (Collegians), Jed Malone (Collegians), Steven Spoljaric (Bundalaguah), Ben Jones (Sale), Garreth Wolmarans (Sale), Isaac Love (Rosedale-Kilmany), Bradley Scott (Rosedale-Kilmany). Team manager: John Mayman.

Traralgon and District: Nathan Frietag (c), Lee Stockdale, Matt Dyke, Ryan Morley, Alistair Jenkin, Tom Starkey, Mitch Membrey, Mitchell Harris, Yohan Soyza, James Pryde, Adam Brady, Anthony Scott, Ewan Williams, Keenan Hughes, Nathan Allen, Jeremy Babb. Team manager: Lee Farley

Division 2

Bellarine Peninsula: Jordy Graham (Jan Juc), Nicky Smith (Jan Juc), Luke Edwards (Jan Juc), Nick Hyden (Jan Juc), Simon Umbers (Anglesea), Dylan Taylor (Anglesea), Aaron Morgan (Armstrong Creek), Blake Dobbin (Drysdale), Cameron Chisholm (Drysdale), Jasper George (Inverleigh), Shaun Fankhauser (Ocean Grove), Brad Greenwood (Barrabool), Ed Morrison (Barrabool), Brandon Ross (Armstrong Creek).
Hamilton District: Tobi Cook (captain), Simon Close (vice-captain), Rick Killey (vice-captain), Simon Sharrock, Ollie Wortley, Peter Staude, Carey Megaw, Henry Bensch, Hamish Cook, Harrison Wood, Ben Wallis, Caleb Millard, Jack Austin.

Portland: Luke Evans (captain), Nick Wills (vice captain), Will Hardie, Stephen O’Brien, Mitch Arnold, Jake Wilson, Sam Wilson, Mark Pitt, Paul Procter, Llewellyn Oakley, Zac Duncan, Will Oakley, Thomas Roberts

South West: Simon Harkness (Heytesbury Rebels, captain), Paul Vogels (Heytesbury Rebels), Jye McLaughlin (Camperdown), Jordan Riches (Camperdown), Harry Sumner (Camperdown), Tharindu Rukshan (Camperdown), Angus Uwland (Cobden), Zach Sinnott (Bookaar), Sam Allen (Bookaar), Eddie Lucas (Bookaar), Isaac Fowler (Woorndoo), Tyler Schafer (Woorndoo), Gus Bourke (Noorat), Tharaka Sendanayake (Pomborneit). Team manager: Rick McKenzie

Sunraysia: Shaun Mathews (co-captain), Leigh Thomson-Mathews, Bryson Lush, Nafis Shaikh, Brad Thomas (co-captain), Nick Giofre, Josh Berry, Nick Blacker, Harvey Ault, Charlie Walker, Billy Phelan, Ryan Muir, Jayden Hunt, Adam Thomson.

Wangaratta and District: Prav Menon (Wangaratta Magpies, captain), Paddy McNamara (Rovers United Bruck, vice-captain), Brady Bartlett (Rovers United Bruck), Jacob Beattie (Rovers United Bruck), Harkaran Mann (Ovens Valley), Dylan Bursill (Ovens Valley), Fraser Ellis (Wangaratta Magpies), Cooper Matheson (Wangaratta Magpies), Nick Pell (Wangaratta Magpies), Josh Nanson (City Colts) Tyler Nanson (City Colts), Koot Pienaar (Rovers United Bruck), Lachie Scales (Delatite). Team manager: Stephen Hicks

Warrnambool and District: Geoffrey Williams, Cam Williams, Jack Burnham, Chris Bant, Ben Threlfall, Bailey Jenkinson, Zavier Mungean, Todd Lamont, Lachlan Wareham, Ethan Boyd, Matthew Petherick, Joe Kenna, Craig Britten.