The Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) has selected a strong squad of 16 players to represent the league at the 2026 Melbourne Country Week carnival in the elite-level Provincial competition.
The CCCA acquitted itself brilliantly last year, defeating Leongatha and Bendigo on the first two days of the carnival before a day-three loss to Geelong set up a Thursday semi-final against eventual champions Ferntree Gully.
The CCCA narrowly lowered its colours that day, but not before proving it belonged against the best of the best in country Victoria.
The CCCA will once again be captained by Tooradin star Cal O’Hare, with Kooweerup gun Chris Bright his deputy, while Trevor Bauer, Tyler Evans, Lucas Ligt, Ben Marsh, Shiran Rathnayake and Country Week stalwart Jason Williams will also return to the fold after impressing as a group last year.
Ligt led the bating effort, making 192 runs including a brilliant innings of 105, while Evans topped the bowling with eight wickets and a best of 3/24.
Yohan Arumadura, Trishane De Silva, Ben Parrott, Ankush Rana, Sohail Sadiq and Tobias Van Den Heever are missing from last year’s squad; but the CCCA has overcome those losses with some key inclusions.
Tooradin firebrand Brad Butler will lead the attack with the new ball, while reigning Terry Stephenson Medallist, Kooweerup’s Luke McMaster, is a proven Country Week performer who can cause carnage with bat or ball.
Club captains Lachlan Volpe and Charith Keerthisinghe add high-class spin-bowling options to those already available in Marsh, Rathnayake and Williams, while Lahiru Jayakody and Imesh Jayasekara join Bauer on the list of the three leading runscorers in Premier Division this season.
Mitch Davey provides x-factor in both forms of the game, while keeper Zach Flaxman has been a standout with his tidy glovework and productive batting for Pakenham.
Selectors have also named four emergencies, with Cooper Davey (Kooweerup), Adam Hassan (Carlisle Park), Bailey Lownds (Tooradin) and Sasindu Perera (Merinda Park) all ready to step up to the plate if required.
Highly respected Pakenham President Phil Anning will once again provide guidance as Team Manager, while Les Jones (Helper/Good Bloke), Dwayne Lester (Scorer) and Neil Chaplin (Bus Driver) have once again committed to the volunteer off-field roles.
Anning is once again excited by the upcoming challenge, with Country Week set to begin on Monday 9 February, with the final to take place on Friday 13.
“I thought the entire playing group was superb last year, especially the leadership of Cal O’Hare who made sure the players got the mix right between playing some really good cricket and building a strong bond off the field,” Anning said.
“The players were fantastic with their professionalism and the way they prepared themselves and it was a great credit to all the players that put their hands up to play.
“It was quite a phenomenal achievement to rise up a division, have nine new players, and still match it with some of the best country cricketers in Victoria.
“I couldn’t be prouder of how the players performed and stuck to their guns across four days of very intense cricket last year, and I’m confident that our best cricket and efforts will measure up again.
“There’s so much talent in the squad and I’m sure they’ll do the CCCA proud.”
CASEY CARDINIA COUNTRY WEEK SQUAD – 2026
Cal O’Hare Tooradin (Captain)
Chris Bright Kooweerup (Vice Captain)
Trevor Bauer Clyde
Brad Butler Tooradin
Mitch Davey Kooweerup
Tyler Evans Tooradin
Zach Flaxman Pakenham
Lahiru Jayakody Tooradin
Imesh Jayasekara Pakenham
Charith Keerthisinghe Kooweerup
Lucas Ligt Devon Meadows
Ben Marsh Devon Meadows
Luke McMaster Kooweerup
Shiran Rathnayake Kooweerup
Lachlan Volpe Cardinia
Jason Williams Pakenham
EMERGENCIES
Cooper Davey Kooweerup
Adam Hassan Carlisle Park
Bailey Lownds Tooradin
Sasindu Perera Merinda Park
SUPPORT STAFF
Phil Anning (Team Manager), Neil Chaplin (Driver), Les Jones (Helper), Dwayne Lester (Scorer).
