The new season is underway

Our two Div 2 teams had the first day of their two-day games cancelled by CMCA due to the wet midweek conditions. However, our Championship side got their season underway with a first innings win in their two-day game against Sydenham at Edgar Mac. Fuller details are below. All being well, all 8 MPCC teams will take the field on Saturday!

Subscriptions for the 2024/25 season

A reminder that adult subscriptions are now due for the current season.

Senior club subscriptions for the 2024/25 season are set at $260 ($130 for students/apprentices) if paid, or if an AP is established in writing with the club's Treasurer, before 30 November 2024. Late subscription rates are charged at $360 (or $230 for students/apprentices). You are welcome to get in touch with the Treasurer, Michael Beattie, by speaking to him at the clubrooms, via a Facebook message to him or by email at beattie852@hotmail.co.nz if you need to make an arrangement around payments.

Players joining the club from high school in their first season are not required to pay a subscription.

As always when paying your subs by Internet Banking ...

• The club's bank account details are:
• Westpac 03 0866 0269318 000
• Merivale Papanui Cricket Club Inc
• When making a transfer please state your full name as a reference.

New Club Policies - Training and Selection Policy and Club Sexual Harassment Policy

The Committee has recently approved two new club policies, both of which can be read via the club website:

Sexual Harassment Policy

This policy sets out the club's actions in the event of a report of sexual harassment involving anyone representing MPCC. Please take the time to read and understand its provisions.

Training and Selection Policy

The training and selection policy sets out the expectations and principles related to club training and selection for our morning grade sides. It is particularly important for members seeking to play for these teams to read and understand the policy.

Parking at Edgar Mac

A quick reminder to all MPCC members and supporters that there are parking restrictions on Saturdays across the road from Edgar Mac, between Jennifer Street and Flower Street.

Congratulations to Sporting Edge Championship bowler Ben MacLennan, whose 5-19 helped his side to a first innings win against Sydenham. This was Ben's second Championship and club 5-for.

Congratulations to Alex Lankeshwar (#304), Brayden McLeod (#305), Harry Meehan (#306) and Hamish Robertson (#307), who made their MPCC Championship debuts in the Sydenham game.

Match Reports from Saturday 5th October

MP Sporting Edge Prems vs Sydenham @ Edgar Mac 1 (Two Day – Day 1)

With winter finally behind us, we begin another season. This year, our Sporting Edge Championship Men’s team has seen some changes, losing a few players to Premiership opportunities and bidding farewell to our English contingent from the last couple of years. However, we're excited to welcome Alex Lankeshwar and overseas player Harry Meehan, whose batting will be a valuable asset despite his limited bowling due to injury at this stage. We were also fortunate this week to have B. McLeod and J. Sim from N.W.Y.C. filling in, with Brayden making his debut. Robbo, who played the second half of last season in the seconds, was the only other debutant.

After some rain on Thursday and Friday, we arrived at The Mac to a dewy outfield, but a dry pitch allowed us to start on time. Lingy won the toss, as usual, and we chose to bowl first. Jacob and Beattie opened the bowling, and despite a few wayward deliveries, we took three early wickets—two from Beattie and one from Jake. However, once “King of the Mac” Ben MacLennan took the ball, he turned the tide, taking 5-19 in his short five-over spell and reducing them to 56-8. The tail managed to wag a bit, but Sam cleaned them up, and they were eventually all out for 97—definitely a score we would have taken at the start, although had our fielding been sharper, they probably would have got 20 runs less.

Our plan was for the top six to build a solid platform for the middle and lower order to capitalize on later. Unfortunately, we lost Alex early to a misjudged leave, and debutant Harry was trapped lbw. Thankfully, Brayden McLeod and Lingy steadied the innings, taking us to 83-2 and we looked to be on for a big first innings lead, but just as we gained momentum, Lingy fell for 48 and Rory went for a duck, leaving us at 95-4 at tea. In cricket, a bad session can kill you, and after Brayden's dismissal for 42, we just collapsed. Beattie showed a little resistance, but the last eight wickets ended up falling for just 36 runs. It was frustrating, as we were in a position where we could have really taken the game away from them but just folded.

This left us with a slim 22-run lead, which evaporated almost instantly as Sydenham scored 32 runs without loss after just four overs. While we managed to rein them in somewhat over the next 16, we couldn’t get a wicket, and they ended day one on 66-0 after 20 overs. While on paper the game looks balanced, the momentum is definitely with Sydenham and we will have to come back strongly on day two if we want to press for an outright win.

Sam Gillespie

MP Sporting Edge Div.2 vs St Albans @ Bishopdale (Two Day, Day 1)

Unfortunately no play on Day 1, due to the midweek rain.

MP Div 2 vs Marist Harewood Black @ St James (Two Day, Day 1)

Unfortunately, another washout!

MP Div 4

Games start 12 October!

MP Div 6 Panthers

Games start 12 October!

MP BBS Timbers Div 7

Games start 12 October!

MP Masters

Games start 12 October!

MP Bombay Tandoor T20

Games start 12 October!