Cricket kicks off with fresh team line-ups

Finley Cricket Club will look slightly different this year.

After fielding three sides last year, the Cats will only compete in B-grade this season.

While not fielding A-grade or C-grade sides, Finley Cricket Club committee member Cameron Isedale was excited about the Cats’ prospects.

“It’ll be a bit different of a season, dropping out of A-grade after a couple of struggling seasons and losing a few players,” he said.

“We are looking forward to having a number of juniors and younger members of the senior setup showing what they’re capable of.”

In round one, Finley will host Katunga.

Berrigan will also only field a B-grade team, after previously competing in A and C-grades.

The will take on Nathalia in Berrigan this weekend.

Tocumwal will go into season with both an A-grade and a C-grade side, much the same as last season.

While club president Malcom Hart wasn’t expecting a huge jump up the rankings this year, he did speak to a promising future.

He said there are “tremendous numbers, and some seriously good players” coming up through the junior ranks, which made him hopeful the club could be around for years to come.

Hart was optimistic that the strong club culture at Tocumwal would aid this.

“The one thing about our club is that it’s a very tight one, and everyone does everything for each other,” he said.

Tocumwal A-grade will take on Barooga in Barooga, and C-grade will play Nathalia at Yalca.

Excitingly, Jerilderie will re-enter senior cricket in the 2025/26 summer with a B-grade team.

Jerilderie Cricket Club president Greg Lawton was thrilled to have cricket back in town.

“It’s good to have some teams up and going after a three-year hiatus,” he said.

As for the team itself, Lawton was excited to see a good mix of youth and experience.

“We’ve got an exciting mix of young kids that came through our juniors and some old favourites in there as well.”

Jerilderie will take on Cobram in Jerilderie.