Teams ready to get on the front foot for 2024-25 John McMahon Shield

Echuca Cricket Club is coming off its third premiership season in a row and will look to extend its historic run to four in the 2024-25 season.

Finishing the season with a 9-4 overall record across one- and two-day games, it still managed to take top spot despite not holding the best record at the end of the season.

In its semi-final, Echuca dispatched Echuca South convincingly, tallying 201 in the first innings from 79 overs. Aidan Young stood up when his team needed him with a timely 58 at number six.

Young also starred with the ball alongside Brendan Moyle, who collected three scalps apiece to roll Echuca South for 82 and booking a date with competition rivals Moama to decide the premiers.

Echuca, batting first, looked on the ropes early, but Simon Maddox delivered a captain’s knock at number nine to salvage their first innings, combining with Charlie Hinks, posting scores of 42 and 38 respectively.

In a dramatic ending to the season, Echuca managed to bowl out Moama at the death with just 12 runs to spare, delivering the men in green a hallowed three peat.

Echuca will be banking on the talents of its balanced side, particularly destructive opener Curtis Townrow, stabilising first drop Matthew Hinks and newly imported English fast bowler Nathan Elliott.

The green machine may just power itself to a fourth title in as many years if it can continue its form from last season, with only one true contender standing in itsway.

Echuca will begin the season against BLU this weekend at Bamawm Recreation Reserve.

Moama

The 2023-24 premiership was the one that got away for Moama, who came tantalisingly close to eliminating Echuca’s treble dreams.

A dominant side throughout much of the competition last season, it had the best overall record going 12-2, with a perfect 9-0 in one-day matches.

Skipper Joel Murphy’s return to the side was almost a tour de force for the young captain and was aided by a talented group who for the most part executed when it counted.

Vice-captain Anthony McMahon was a standout with the bat and was Moama’s leading run scorer for the season. His season-high came against Leitchville-Gunbower where he rose the bat, scoring 101.

Playing coach Michael Hill was the spearhead of a strong bowling attack, taking 37 wickets at 12.70.

In the semi-final against BLU, Moama set a sizeable total of 230 for the Lions, who weren’t able to chase down before being bowled out 33 runs short.

Moama had the advantage of besting Echuca in round 11 and the confidence that comes with it when they met in the grand final.

Hill’s four-wicket haul against Echuca opened the door for Moama to snatch the title away, but despite clutch 50s from Matt Saunders and Jordan McGregor, Moama couldn’t seal the deal.

The 2023-24 bridesmaids will be hungry for revenge this summer and will open their campaign against Echuca South at Echuca South Recreation Reserve.

Echuca South

After reaching the semi-final last season, Echuca South will want to go a step further in 2024-25 and make a run at the big prize.

Finishing fourth with a 9-5 overall record, the Swans were a solid side last summer who were able to upset higher teams on their day, such as conquering eventual premiers Echuca in round 12.

Sri Lankan import and all-round star Asantha Singappuli was a cut above for Echuca South last year. He was prolific with the bat, scoring 732 runs at 56.31 average and a weapon with the ball, taking 39 wickets at an average of 13.95.

Singappuli received Echuca South’s cricketer of the year award and club champion for the 2023-24 season and score the only centuries for the A-grade side with an even ton against Echuca in round 12 and an enormous 183 in round eight against Fire Brigade.

Mitchell Stephens produced a spectacular 8/61, the side’s best bowling figures for the season, in round 13 against Rochester.

The Swans’ season culminated in a showdown against cross-town rivals Echuca for the third time, where they managed to bowl Echuca out in the first innings, chasing 201 for victory.

Unfortunatley, Echuca’s bowling attack made light work of the Swans who could amass just 82 runs before being bowled out, ripping their premiership dream away.

Echuca South will be searching for a hot start to the 2024-25 season when it faces Moama at Echuca South Recreation Reserve for round one.

Rochester

Rochester will look to sneak into the top four this year after being unlucky to miss finals to Echuca South by a single win.

Rochy’s all-round ace Sean Williams will be the side’s spearhead with both bat and ball, having been the club’s highest run scorer and wicket-taker in 2023-2024.

Williams scored 394 runs opening the batting and took 28 wickets for his side last season, securing the club’s champion player award.

Rochester captain Dylan Cuttriss will look to use Williams effectively while also scoring crucial runs in the top-middle order.

Cuttriss’s high score came in round 13 when he scored 78 against Echuca South. It was the only time he scored above 30 for the season and will look to find form in 2024-25.

Opener Brandon Byrne will also be a factor for Rochester, as he aims to get his side away to quick starts and has proven to be reliable at the top of the order.

Rochy’s main objective this season will be to put runs on the board, as it had too many instances last year when it was rolled for cheap or just didn’t quite get to the total.

Rochy only tallied one total higher than 250 last season, against wooden-spooner Leitchville-Gunbower in round 10.

Bamawm-Lockington United

BLU came close to going all the way last year, falling short to Moama in the semi-final of the John McMahon A-grade shield.

Moama set a gettable target of 230, but it wasn't to be for the Lions, who fell tantalisingly short of the total, being bowled out for 197.

BLU will have its eyes firmly set on the 2024-25 season, with Echuca and Moama looking like the teams to beat in this year’s competition.

The Lions will need all the strength of last year’s squad, particularly captain and star batsman Regis Chakabva, whose 979 runs last season included three tons, with a high score of 172 against Leitchville-Gunbower in round five.

BLU’s highest total came in that same game where it tallied a staggering 6(dec)/330.

BLU will also want the strike bowling of Jeremy Felmingham, who took 26 wickets last season and was a go-to option when the Lions needed a timely wicket.

The Lions will open their season in a one-day game against reigning champion Echuca on Saturday, October 5, at Bamawm Recreation Reserve.

Tongala

Tongala, in its second season back in A-grade ranks, is looking to build on last season in which an outright win over Fire Brigade was the highlight of its season.

Finishing in eighth position last year with a record of 2-12, Tonny will look to make the leap and secure a finals position this year.

Tonny’s first win last year didn’t come until round 11 last year, where it triumphed over eventual wooden spooners Leitchville-Gunbower.

Yet, it built some momentum in the back end of last season, securing its second victory in round 13 against Kyabram Fire Brigade.

Adam Nunn is to return to the side after missing last season, but will be used mainly as a batter.

McKenzie Cowley has also been recruited from Girgarre.

Alex Williams will skipper the side again and will have experienced players Jayden Tucker, Nunn and occasionally star all-rounder Darin Olhsen to support him.

Bowling spearhead Lachy Caldwell and Hudson Kellett are among the younger players Tongala will be looking to make progress in their promising careers.

Tongala will travel to Northern Oval to face Kyabram Fire Brigade for round one of the 2024-25 season.

Kyabram Fire Brigade

Kyabram Fire Bridgade legend Jon Varcoe is returning to helm the A-grade side after 24 years and potentially lead them to a finals birth.

Fire Brigade head-hunted Varcoe, a respected cricket and football coach, in a bid to turn around the fortunes of the club which has missed the past three finals series in the Goulburn Murray Cricket John McMahon Shield competition.

The Flames narrowly missed the finals last season with a record of 8-6 and claimed impressive wins over Echuca South and Echuca throughout the year, with the former score being one of their biggest of the season (7/321).

Varcoe named Miller Griffiths, Bohden Learmonth, Wil Harrison, Jack Barnett and Cohan Hooper as some of these young players who can step up and make a difference to the club’s fortunes.

These young players will be complemented by experienced players Paul Newman, Kaine Herbert, Brenton Sheppard and Rob Salter who will captain the side.

Newman will skipper the side again this season and is coming off an impressive season with the bat, culminating in a massive 214 not out performance against Nondies Cohuna in round seven.

Unfortunately, Jake Gascoyne, one of its most reliable batters recently, will miss the season after sustaining an ACL injury playing football with Merrigum this year.

Fire Brigade will begin its season when it takes on Tongala at Northern Oval this Saturday.

Leitchville-Gunbower

Last season’s bottom dwellers are in the unique position this year of having nothing to lose and will be able to play freely and aggressively this upcoming season.

Having only won a single game last year against Cooma in round 13, L-G will look to string together consistency out in the middle in 2024-25.

Last year’s captain Josh O’Shea was a standout batsman for the side and was a major reason the side was competitive in the majority of its games.

Tyler Jones and Jye Keath were also solid contributors for the L-G in the middle order and kept L-G afloat in their innings.

Thomas Dehne, Blake Gibson, Simon Tatt and James Keath will be spearheading the bowling attack for L-G as they look to get some more wins on the board in 2024.

Leitchville-Gunbower will have the first bye of the year and will not compete in round one this weekend, instead getting another week of rest and training before facing title defenders Echuca in round two at Gunbower Recreation Reserve.

Nondies-Cohuna

Placing seventh by the end of the 2023-2024 season, Nondies-Cohuna was right in the middle of the competition, rubbing shoulders with contemporaries Fire Brigade and Rochester.

Nondies will want to break out of the middle this year and assert itself as a true finals side in 2024-25.

English import Archie Sussex was strong for the side last year and was a vital piece at the top of the order.

Rhys Bradley and Josh Novoselek were also key as an opening partnership and were able to get Nondies off to solid starts in the majority of their games.

Captain Kyeran Ellery played an important role for his side as a lower-middle order batsman and a deadly presence with the ball.

Nondies-Cohuna will look to get off to a good start for the season when it takes on Rochester at Rochester Recreation Reserve on Saturday.