Cricket
24 March, 2026
HCA named association of the year
Horsham Cricket Association has taken out the Cricket Victoria Community Cricket Association of the Year Award following a standout 2025-26 season.
Awarded the honour at the Cricket Victoria Community Cricket Awards, held at Junction Oval in Melbourne on Friday, March 20, the HCA was recognised for the integration of five new clubs into the association, its contribution to Junior Country Week and junior cricket, as well as the organisation of the All Stars Game, which helped raise over $20,000 for bushfire recovery relief.
Tony Wills, HCA committee member, umpire and long-time administrator, said the award was indicative of the hard work and growth put in over recent years.
“To win the Cricket Victoria Community Award, and come second in Australia, is just unbelievable,” Wills said.
“The work put in over the last few years, firstly with Travis Hair to keep the association alive, and then we got a new board together with some doers on it.
“Plus, you have people like Tony Caccaviello, who's worked with the juniors, and when you see our junior stocks starting to rise, you know our association is coming good.”
Wills added that the addition of new clubs, in combination with rising talent, has the association well-positioned to go from strength to strength.
“The introduction of the new clubs was an absolute godsend,” Wills said.
“It’s allowed us to prosper and has created some enthusiasm again, which is probably the biggest thing.
“With the new teams coming in, plus the growth of the young kids starting to fill the gap, I think there’s going to be some exciting young fellows who will start to carry our cricket on again, and we’ll hit a bit of a renaissance as far as cricket is concerned in the area.”
The association’s ability to organise the All-Star Game, as well as adapt to conditions, is further evidence why the HCA is deserving of the award, Wills believes.
“The All-Star game is evidence of cricket people getting together for cricket,” Wills said.
“To come up with that idea and for the association and cricketers to jump on board quickly shows that.
“Even the decisions made on the run, such as those 40-degree days, where the games are played earlier to make it safer, those types of decisions are made by people with cricket at heart.
“And that’s why we got the award, I’m sure of it.”
In further encouraging news for cricket in the region, the HCA was awarded a $25,000 grant to establish an All-Abilities cricket competition.