By David Nagel
Tooradin star Cal O’Hare will lead the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) into battle when the Crusaders take on the best of the best at Melbourne Country Week in 2025.
The Crusaders have been promoted to the elite Provincial Division this season after a successful return to Country Week in February this year; finishing runners up to Bairnsdale in the Division Two grand final at The Albert.
CCCA selectors Matt Davey, Tom Hussey and O’Hare have collated a wish list of 31 players from 10 clubs across the Premier and District Divisions; although the squad will organically reduce with several players turning down selection due to family and work commitments.
Pakenham superstar Chris Smith is one such player, with several others non-committed at this stage.
Nine players from last year’s campaign have been selected in the squad this year, with Travis Wheller (Cardinia), Lucas Ligt (Devon Meadows), Chris Bright and Luke McMaster (Kooweerup), Cooper Pursell (Officer), Jason Williams (Pakenham) and Josh Lownds, Ben Parrott and Dylan Sutton (Tooradin) all keen to build on last season’s success.
The selectors have rewarded high-performing players in the second tier District Division, with Pursell and Chathura Imbulagoda having great starts to the season for ladder-leading Officer.
Jarrod Armitage, Kasun Balasuriya and Adam Hassan have all made the squad from Carlisle Park, while several new and returning players to the CCCA are also in contention to make the final cut of 14 players.
Yohan Arumadura, Trishane De Silva (Cardinia), Shiran Rathnayake (Kooweerup) and Tobias Van Den Heever (Merinda Park) are the big name recruits to make the squad, while Cardinia captain Mark Cooper returns to the fray after being a key member of the most recent Country Week premiership in 2017.
Selectors have also cast an eye to the future, with Tooradin all-rounder Tyler Evans and Pakenham leg-spinner Jordan Seers among the young guns selected in the squad.
CCCA 2024/25 COUNTRY WEEK SQUAD
CARDINIA
Yohan Arumadura, Mark Cooper, Trishane De Silva, Matt Welsh, Travis Wheller.
CARLISLE PARK
Jarrod Armitage, Kasun Balasuriya, Adam Hassan.
CLYDE
Trevor Bauer, Ankush Rana.
DEVON MEADOWS
Chris Cleef, Lucas Ligt, Jakeb McVicar.
KOOWEERUP
Chris Bright, Luke McMaster, Shiran Rathnayake.
MERINDA PARK
Tobias Van Den Heever.
OFFICER
Chathura Imbulagoda, Cooper Pursell.
PAKENHAM
Zac Chaplin, Jordan Seers, Chris Smith, Jason Williams.
TOORADIN
Tyler Evans, Josh Lownds, Cal O’Hare (Captain), Ben Parrott, Dylan Sutton.
UPPER BEACONSFIELD
Will Haines, Chad McDonald, Nick Pastras.
