NDCA’s 2023/24 season is around the corner

The arrival of spring usually means one thing – cricket season is around the corner.

The winter sporting campaigns are wrapping up and the posts at the local fields will soon be taken down as the opening round of Narrabri District Cricket Association’s 2023/24 season quickly approaches.

The NDCA hosted their annual general meeting at the Narrabri RSL Club last week, at which October 14 was announced as the likely date for round one of the first and second grade one day competitions.

There will be four first grade teams again this season after the defending champs Narrabri RSL Cricket Club, 2022/23 grand finalists Tourist Hotel Cricket Club, Tatts Cricket Club and the Western Razorbacks nominated to go around again.

They all nominated a second grade team as well, with the exception of the Razorbacks, meaning it will be a three-team comp for the second year in a row.

The board’s executive has remained unchanged heading into the new campaign. Josh Rose was re-elected as president for a fourth season in the head role, and he will once again be supported by David McInnes (senior vice-president), Bill Wood (secretary), Luke Meppem (treasurer) and Will Ford (junior vice-president).

Kaleb Mowle, Lachlan Woolford and Steve Phelps will all go around again in board member roles, with Jarrett Tough and Brendon Ward stepping down and being replaced by Nathan Trindall, Jakeb Nipperess and Jake Thurston, while NDCA life member Tony Meppem is the patron again.

This season’s grounds committee includes Mowle, Craig Gleeson and Jye Manton.

The NDCA’s treasurer and Tourist Hotel first XI captain Luke Meppem told The Courier that the board were excited for the new season to arrive.

“It’s a good committee there this season,” Meppem said.

“The executive’s stayed unchanged, but it’s good we are bringing some new young blokes in while we are all still there. We are really trying to get a succession plan going.

“This year, we’re hoping we can get a bit better start to the season with no floods in October, and it might help draw a few more cricketers in.

“It should be another good year of cricket in Narrabri.”

The format for the coming season has not been locked in, but the one day season will definitely begin when the season starts next month.

The T20 Super Slog competition will likely be shortened this season and played under an exciting new format, with a decision regarding that potential change to be made at next week’s board meeting next week.

Two of the local clubs have already locked in their captains ahead of the 2023/24 NDCA campaign, with RSL premiership-winning skippers Jarrett Tough (first grade) and Justin Saunders (second grade) to go around again, and Tourist Hotel’s sides to be co-captained by Luke Meppem and Lachlan Woolford (first grade) and Kaleb Mowle and David McInnes (second grade).

The NDCA’s representative team captain is expected to be named soon ahead of this season’s MA Connolly Cup campaign, and the Pink Slugs will also compete in the returning Country Plate state knockout.

Meanwhile, the Narrabri District Women’s Cricket Association recently held their annual general meeting.

Mark Page was re-elected as the chairman and he will be assisted by vice-chairman Lachlan Woolford, secretary Alecia Tubner, the social media coordinator Candice Stang, and committee members Ange Knox, Karen Baker and Sam Woolford. The treasurer position is yet to be filled.

The NDWCA are planning to extend their regular season from four weeks to eight during the 2023/24 campaign, and at this stage, it is likely that four rounds will be played on either side of the Christmas and New Year break.