Century Cricket Competitions secure three-year deal with Mackay Regional Council
Century Cricket Competitions have secured a three-year deal with the Mackay Regional Council to bring its hugely successful independent competition to North Queensland.
“Since their inception, Century Cricket’s Senior Competitions have been about showcasing talent. To be able to bring our competition to Great Barrier Reef Arena as a world class cricket stadium and not only continue to elevate our on-field competition, but to also showcase one of the most stunning tourist regions in Australia to our team owners, sponsors, players and supporters, is exceptionally exciting,” said Century Cricket Group Chair Stuart Giles.
Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson said Mackay was the perfect location to host the Century Cricket competitions.
“We are pleased to support this event through our Invest Mackay Events and Conferences Attraction program, which is designed to bring sporting, cultural and commercial events to our region,” Mayor Williamson said.
“We expect these tournaments to draw a big crowd and we’re excited to showcase the Great Barrier Reef Arena, a first-class facility for players and spectators, as we cheer on our very own team, the Great Barrier Reef Rays,”
he said.
“The weather in Mackay in August is fantastic for cricket and we look forward to welcoming some of the best national and international cricketers to our region.”
From 2024-2026, the national competition will see eight teams participate in a weekend-long senior competition as they play for a share in an $80,000 prize pool. There will be representation in Mackay of teams from all three states that currently host Century Cricket Competitions; four teams from Queensland, three teams from South Australia and one team from Victoria. “We wanted to start with eight teams this year, year one, and nail a good tournament. We offered those eight positions out to current owners in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne and they were taken up very quickly. There are future plans to expand and invite other teams from other states and cities as the Century Cricket Competitions continue to roll out around the country in future years,” said Century Cricket Group Regional Executive Director Nick Fitzpatrick.
Each franchise will pre-select six players to kick start their squad selection with the remaining six players to be picked at auction in Brisbane on Friday 7 June.
One of the teams joining the Mackay competition is the Great Barrier Reef Rays with former Australian international T20 bowler Ben Laughlin committed to playing for them after a stellar performance in last year’s senior competition in Brisbane.
“I loved playing in the 100-ball format; it adds a new tactical dimension to the game. It was great to play for the Rays too and see the talent that Far North Queensland has to offer. I‘m super excited to play at Harrup Park in front of a home crowd and will try to go one better this year,” said Laughlin.
The competition will run from 2 – 4 August and again follow the Century playing format, which was inspired by The Hundred in the UK; a concept that sees senior players step away from the traditional T20 format and compete in fast paced 100-ball innings featuring five-ball overs and far less changes of ends.
Senior players from anywhere in the country, and around the world, can nominate for the Mackay competition. Nominations are now open via the Century Cricket Competitions website.
Century Cricket Group is a privately owned cricket company co-founded by successful healthcare businessman Stuart Giles, Australian cricket great Ian Healy AO and world-renowned commentator Mark Nicholas, alongside cricket entrepreneurs and founders of the Australian Cricket Institute Nick Fitzpatrick and Joel Hamilton. The Group is creating a full ecosystem of cricket opportunities across competitions, coaching clinics and training centres.
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