LAKES ENTRANCE
Last Season: Fifth (six wins).
Captain/Coach: Scott Davidson.
Ins: Will Davidson, Scott Davidson (Lindenow South Glenaladale), Liam Clorley, Reece Gray (UK imports). Huge inclusions, adding the reigning Bairnsdale Cricket Association Cricketer of the Year, Scott Davidson, while the reports on the batting ability of Clorley are impressive. Gray will add to an attack that retains Scott Tite and Noah Dodd.
Outs: Ollie Chaplin.
Set for a Big Season: Ryan Hooper. Scott Davidson expects him to enjoy his cricket more having stepped down from the presidency and have a prosperous season.
Emerging Talent: Will Davidson and Lachlan Ymer. Both have impressed over the pre-season.
Expectation: “With natural improvement and if we can gel as a team, we will be aiming for finals, and hopefully go deep,” Scott Davidson said.
Team to beat: “Wy Yung, but expecting an even and competitive competition.”
Tip for BCA Cricketer of the Year: Ben John.
Analysis: The Seagulls have recruited well and retained most of their list. Kaleb Day will miss the early rounds with an ankle injury, and it will be interesting to see if wildcard Tom Stubbs suits up. Davidson could be pivotal in the early matches with the ball in the absence of Day and Chaplin, though Clorley may well prove a more than useful spin option alongside his top-order batting duties. Should be pushing hard for finals given the squad depth.
LUCKNOW
Last Season: Semi-finalist (six wins).
Captain: Jarryd Floyd.
Ins: Mel Irish, Jamie Donnelly (Lindenow South Glenaladale), Zane Delaney (St Marys Nagle), Liam Dyson (returns), Kyle Jay, Joshua Wild (UK imports). Jay and Wild look well-credentialed players, while Irish and Delaney will add vital depth to the bowling stocks.
Outs: Taj Corben, Rico Fourie, Ayush Verma.
Set for a Big Season: Matt Corbett is back from injury and raring to go.
Emerging Talent: Archie Poore, Mitchell Johnson, Oakley Hughes, Fletcher Watt, Thinley Pelvar Namgyel and Tate Aumann. The Magpies aren’t short of promising youngsters, led by Johnson who produced several impressive performances in 2025/26.
Expectation: “Aiming to make finals again and go from there,” Jarryd Floyd said.
Team to beat: Wy Yung.
Tip for BCA Cricketer of the Year: Scott Davidson.
Analysis: Lucknow is building a formidable list, and if the squad gets the blend of experience and youth right in the coming seasons, a premiership window is well and truly open. Whether 2026/27 is their year remains to be seen, but further additions from Lindenow South Glenaladale make them an even more impressive outfit.
MEERLIEU
Last Season: Ninth (one win).
Co-Captains: Reagan Kyle and Rohan Blandford.
Ins: Brad White (Stratford), Nathan Pollard (Lindenow South Glenaladale), Aaron Avery (Tooradin). Experienced inclusions to assist Blandford and Kyle with a developing list of promising youngsters.
Outs: Connor Mitchell.
Set for a Big Season: Aaron Avery comes with an impressive CV and high expectations.
Emerging Talent: Kane Fletcher, Ollie Simpson, and Des Hine are all youngsters capable of making their mark. While currently lacking consistency at senior level, all three continue to improve with every match.
Expectation: Rebuilding and aiming for competitive displays through player development.
Team to beat: –
Tip for BCA Cricketer of the Year: –
Analysis: Meerlieu faces another building season, but the arrival of experienced recruits White, Pollard and Avery provides vital support for co-captains Kyle and Blandford. Developing consistency among their junior talent will be the primary objective for the Tussocks this summer.
ORBOST
Last Season: Sixth (five wins).
Captain: Curtley Farley.
Ins: Max Welsh (returns). The classy left-hander is a massive inclusion and will be looking to post consistent scores, especially at home on one of the competition’s premier batting wickets.
Outs: Alfie Lindsay, Josh Court, Luke Humphries (imports not returning).
Set for a Big Season: Nick Davis has been hitting the crease hard during the pre-season.
Emerging Talent: The Blues are delighted to have young Kruze Farley back playing, and he is hitting the ball cleanly ahead of the opener.
Expectation: “Obviously playing finals is what we look forward to, but being competitive in both “A” grade and “B” reserve is important. We have struggled recently in the lower grades, so it would be great to get a few wins there,” Curtley Farley said.
Team to beat: Lakes Entrance.
Tip for BCA Cricketer of the Year: Luke Endley.
Analysis: Orbost impressed early last season before becoming bogged down mid-year. Welsh is a massive addition, and the club remains keen to secure an overseas import as the season progresses. The Blues will be competitive again, but will require significant output from their senior top-order if they are to push into the
top four.
PAYNESVILLE
Last Season: Seventh (four wins).
Captain: Isaac Love.
Ins: Nathan Hibbins (Maffra), Tom Love (Stratford), Perry Hill (returning), Harrison Savage (Bundalaguah), Scott Latta. The Gulls have added much-needed depth. Hibbins is a classy wicketkeeper-batsman, Love was an “A” grade premiership player with Stratford last season, and Hill is a former Country Week representative.
Outs: Nathan Schoultz, Albie Clark (West Bairnsdale).
Set for a Big Season: Mitch Wilmott and Aaron Cameron both look in great touch following strong pre-season campaigns.
Emerging Talent: Harper Clack, Lachlan Wells and Judah May. Clack showed his potential last season as an exciting young fast bowler.
Expectation: “Hopefully play finals — that’s the goal,” Isaac Love said.
Team to beat: Lucknow.
Tip for BCA Cricketer of the Year: Scott Davidson.
Analysis: Paynesville has added valuable experience and squad depth to offset the departure of Schoultz. With strong recruits across key disciplines, the Gulls look well-positioned to improve on last summer’s four wins and challenge for a finals berth.
ST MARY’S NAGLE
Last Season: Eighth (four wins).
Captain: Ricky Tatnell.
Ins: Deshan Ranchagodage (Altona), Daniel Jones, Jayanga Peiris (Bundalaguah), Chalith Wickramarathna (Sarsfield). Ranchagodage and Peiris look likely to make an immediate impact, with Peiris capable of taking games away from opposition attacks and high expectations surrounding Ranchagodage.
Outs: Jacob Hurry, Nathan Yarde, Zane Delaney (Lucknow).
Set for a Big Season: Deshan Ranchagodage, a talented all-rounder who promises to be damaging with both bat and ball.
Emerging Talent: Noah Capes, Lenny Dullard, and Pat McGinty are all promising young cricketers making strides.
Expectation: “Hoping to get back into the finals after missing out last season,” Ricky Tatnell said.
Teams to beat: Paynesville and Wy Yung.
Tip for BCA Cricketer of the Year: Aaron Avery.
Analysis: Saints finished the 2025/26 campaign strongly after Christmas and have added top-end talent to their list. However, they will start the season without skipper Tatnell, who is recovering from knee surgery. His eventual return, alongside key figures like Brayden McCarrey, gives Saints the fire-power needed to feature in the finals race.
WEST BAIRNSDALE
Last Season: Semi-finalist (seven wins).
Captain: Brodie Anderson.
Ins: Ray Stevens, Jacob Zumach, David Wolfe (all Wy Yung), Praveen Baby (India), Albie Clarke (Paynesville). Baby last played in New Zealand and is a top-order batsman who will add firepower to the middle and closing overs.
Outs: Josh Toms, Jai Nicholls, Jake Anderson.
Set for a Big Season: Ray Stevens and Atley Williams have been standout performers on the track throughout training.
Emerging Talent: Archer Watt will be a key addition when he returns from university commitments.
Expectation: “Hoping to win it. We lost the semi-final to the premier last season by a single wicket. We clearly needed to improve our batting and we’ve done that; now we need to put it on the park,” Brodie Anderson said.
Team to beat: Lakes Entrance.
Tip for BCA Cricketer of the Year: Max Welsh.
Analysis: There is a genuine air of confidence around West Bairnsdale. Having addressed their batting depth following a frustrating 2025/26 campaign at City Oval, the squad boasts a strong bowling attack that rarely leaves them chasing steep targets. If the top order fires, West Bairnsdale will be heavily in the premiership mix.
WY YUNG
Last Season: Premier (nine wins).
Captain: Stevie Bertino.
Ins: Nick Carroll returns to the club following premiership success.
Outs: Ray Stevens, David Wolfe, Jacob Zumach (all West Bairnsdale), Charlie Thompson.
Set for a Big Season: Daniel Gledhill. One of the premier batsmen in the competition, Gledhill has repeatedly delivered in high-pressure moments for the Tigers and looks set for another dominant summer.
Emerging Talent: Noah Mathers and Lois Wilson are highly talented junior players looking to establish themselves as regular senior performers.
Expectation: “Be competitive across all grades and bring home as many flags as possible. We want to really develop our young boys and girls and give them opportunities in senior grades to showcase their skills,” Stevie Bertino said.
Team to beat: Lucknow.
Tips for BCA Cricketer of the Year: Daniel Gledhill or Cameron McPhan.
Analysis: The Tigers have established a dominant setup over the past two seasons and remain the team to beat. Despite key list turnover to West Bairnsdale, Wy Yung’s culture, depth and proven big-match performers make them clear premiership favourites once again.
ROUND ONE
“A” grade: Orbost v Lakes Entrance; Meerlieu v St Mary’s Nagle; Paynesville v Wy Yung; Lucknow v West Bairnsdale.
