By Liam Grima, ACS Journalism Scholar (mentored by The Footy Almanac‘s John Harms).
The Mulgrave Cricket Club just capped off one of its most successful seasons in club history with four senior sides making it all the way to the final weekend of the season. After seven months of hard work, beginning in August 2025, the club saw the Firsts, Seconds, Thirds and the inaugural Women’s XI all competing in Grand Finals.
Defeating Surrey Hills away from home in their semi-final by three wickets, Mulgrave’s First XI headed to H.E. Parker Reserve to meet minor premiers Heathmont in the Wright Shield Grand Final. Finishing the home and away season in third position on the ladder with 7 wins, 5 losses and 2 draws, Mulgrave captain Callum Hope won the toss and elected to bat on Day 1 of the final, with openers Nick Parker and Jai Allman looking promising early, posting a first wicket partnership of 35. However, the experience of Heathmont all-rounder Paul Jefimenko alongside right arm medium pacer Josh Quinlan, taking two wickets each, put the visitors on the back foot at 4/51 in the 32nd over.
After a stellar 498 run season at 38.31, Mulgrave wicketkeeper Joe Brown led the fightback with an important 50 from 114 deliveries, combining with number six Matthew Maiolo in a 70 run stand for the fifth wicket, guiding the Firsts to a first innings total of 206. Shaariq Sheikh, by far the most influential of the Heathmont attack, finished with figures of 4/71 off 25.4 overs.
Set 207 for victory, Heathmont sprinted out of the blocks early in a commanding position at 1/68, while despite their efforts, Mulgrave overseas import Zayn Khan, and fellow opening bowler, Jai Allman, struggled to make early inroads with the ball. However, a fired-up Jordan Wilkinson delivered when it was needed most, taking a lethal 3/0 in 12 balls on the verge of tea. Be that as it may, the bowlers had their work cut out for them with the experience and calming presence at the crease shown by all-rounder Paul Jefimenko (79) and Archie Moore (29), driving the minor premiers over the finish line to claim the Wright Shield premiership.
“No one ever really felt like they were in a winning position,” said Hope, “We knew it would take everything we had, but also knew how good the conditions were for batting. Credit to their guys – they batted out of their skins.”
Despite their three-wicket loss and the chance to move back into Dunstan Shield for the first time in eight years, not many people would have given the First XI a chance to make the Grand Final and take it all the way to the second last over with the competition’s best.
“As shattered as we are, we know we can walk away from those games proud of what we did”, said Hope, “We know that the group needs to improve 10-15% if we want to compete again. The goal is to win it – everyone has a role to play.”
Link to First XI V Heathmont scorecard: https://www.playhq.com/cricket-australia/org/eastern-cricket-association/eastern-cricket-association-eca-seniors-summer-202526/02-wright-shield/game-centre/0fa976da
Mulgrave’s Second XI finished the home and away season first on the ladder with 10 wins, 3 losses and a draw, hosting the 3rd placed Burwood. Heading into the weekend, Mulgrave’s performance throughout the season with the ball had been the competition’s best, led by club legend and Australia over 50s champion, James Morris, off the back of a scintillating 11/38 bowling performance in their semi final victory over Hawthorn Boroondara. The question looming around the minor premiers was their most recent performances of 87, 115 and 84 with the bat, with little input from the top to middle order following the mid-season Christmas break.
Skipper and leading run-scorer in the competition, Jackson Taylor, won the toss and elected to bat, smashing a quickfire 47 from 38 balls in a 60 run opening stand. While there were plenty of other starts from William Jardine, Darcy Klemm and Sean Nathan, the hosts would lose wickets in quick succession, falling to 5/112. But it was Mulgrave’s number five Dylan Carmody who led the resurgence with a vital 22 from 82 balls, alongside number seven Liam Grima who contributed 25 runs of his own.
In an innings of twists, turns, and some gifted opportunities missed in the field, Burwood were set a target of 173 for premiership glory heading into Day 2. However, a run out from James Morris and a first wicket in his first over from bowling all-rounder, Hugh Paulas, meant the visitors were off to a rocky start. Luckily, a fighting response from opener Charlie Langkau (29) and number four James Ritchie (24), victory was looking likely at 2/63. But it was the man of the moment, opening bowler Jarryd Seagrave, who turned the tide and swung the momentum back in favour of the home side, obliterating the middle order to take an inspiring four wickets right on the verge of tea in the blink of an eye.
In what appeared would be a clean sweep and a headstart on premiership celebrations, Burwood never fell out of the contest, with number nine Julian Smith (45*) and number ten Benjamin Giudice (34), forcing Mulgrave to adjust, adopt different tactics, and above all, force the home side into their own shells. As everyone has heard before, cricket is a funny game and can change drastically at any moment. With what seemed to be the match winning partnership, a fumble behind the stumps from wicketkeeper Darcy Klemm saw Giudice slow off his mark after a late call of yes from Smith. With a calm, cool and collected head, Klemm was able to gather, pick up, and deliver a pinpoint throw to James Morris at the bowler’s end, breaking the 56 run stand.
“It was an unreal game which had a bit of everything”, said Taylor, “it got to a point where we probably got a little bit too overconfident, not taking our chances when they came to make it a lot closer than we really should have let it get.”
Yet, with victory firmly in sight, a back of a length slower ball by Jarryd Seagrave, caught the top edge of the bat to fall safely into the gloves of Darcy Klemm, earning a player of the final performance of 5/51 off 25 overs and the second premiership in three years for the Second XI.
“To win this Grand Final for me was special”, said Taylor, “having captained the side in three Grand Finals but for various reasons not being there to actually lift the shield myself, this one meant the most of the three to me”.
Link to Second XI v Burwood scorecard: https://www.playhq.com/cricket-australia/org/eastern-cricket-association/eastern-cricket-association-eca-seniors-summer-202526/05-c-turf-thomson-shield/game-centre/425bbe7d
After reigning victorious over Mount Waverley Uniting in last year’s Grand Final, Mulgrave’s Third XI was back in the spotlight against Burwood Cricket Club in a top of the table clash, with one win separating the two. The Thirds rocked up to enemy territory in style with an action-packed Mulgrave party bus in full swing, in what promised to be a fierce, drama filled contest.
Mitchell Rebecchi decided to take full advantage of the smaller sized, 45-metre square boundaries, with a batting unit that were more than capable of finding the fence and ticking the scoreboard along, but a mix up between openers Flynn Cassar and Jason Weeratunga saw Cassar run out for 14, shortly followed by Weeratunga for 29. In a game which saw many small contributions with the bat, the Burwood bowling attack continued to press forward and take crucial scalps at crucial moments, highlighted by Daniel Adams’ 4/38 off 12 overs, bowling the visitors out for 198 in what was set to be a thrilling chase on Day 2.
“The game itself was a nervous one”, said Rebecchi, “but you could feel everyone had such faith in our process we built over the season. This goes hand in hand with the hard work and dedication of each player.”
That faith and spirit was shown by none other than four-time synthetic club champion, Don Wasalathanthri, taking a magical 5/32 off 18 overs in a player of the final winning performance to add to his already stellar season of 308 runs and 18 wickets, bowling the hosts out for 125 and securing back-to-back flags for the Third XI who are hungrier than ever to reach the ultimate glory of a three-peat.
“Obviously winning the flag is amazing, but I’ll never forget when we drove into Mulgrave reserve on the bus and embraced the Seconds who had just won the flag also”, said Rebecchi, “how rewarding it was to spend such great time with an amazing group of people – and not just for the threes but for the whole club”.
Link to Third XI v Burwood scorecard: https://www.playhq.com/cricket-australia/org/eastern-cricket-association/eastern-cricket-association-eca-seniors-summer-202526/11-a-synthetic-menzies-mackay-shield-4072-overs/game-centre/70b13078
The first ever Women’s XI for the Mulgrave Cricket Club has been nothing short of inspiring in season 2025/26, making it all the way to the Grand Final after an undefeated home and away season. Entering the season with zero competitive cricket experience and very little expectation, the inaugural Women’s XI were the Cinderella story of the Mulgrave cricket community, proving that they are not here just to make up the numbers; they are here to stay. Led by skipper Georgina Beach, the season saw the girls finish second on the ladder with 5 wins and 0 losses, earning a spot in the Grand Final against the highly talented, also undefeated, Knoxfield Cricket Club.
There were significant contributions from Jemma Owen (47) and Achini Lackmali (49) after being sent into bat, compiling a score of 1/138. Unfortunately, despite an early LBW to Shaneece Stratton, it was not enough against the home side, chasing down the target in the second last over, just one wicket down. While the season did not end how the girls would have wanted, it marked only the first chapter in what will hopefully be a very long and fruitful program for Mulgrave Cricket Club.
“Making the Grand Final is a huge achievement,” said Beach, “along the way, we have developed everyone’s skills over the season and have achieved so many firsts. First runs, first catches, first overs, and first wickets. This season made it clear for the Women’s XI that we were a part of the club, not just an add-on.”
The Women’s XI is the epitome of fun, friendship, inclusiveness, and above all, passion. Passion for each other, the community, and the game. As the season winds down and the door closes on an eventful summer, many new possibilities are on the horizon for Georgina Beach and her team, as the women’s program looks to return stronger and more determined than ever in 2026/27.
Link to Women’s XI v Knoxfield scorecard: https://www.playhq.com/cricket-australia/org/ferntree-gully-and-district-cricket-association/womens-summer-202526/womens-b-grade/game-centre/f32162d7
Australian Cricket Society’s literary scholar Liam Grima is mentored by writer John Harms. His pieces are also published at www.footyalmanac.com.au .