XXIX Club

The XXIX Club was formed in 1956 by a group of MCC senior players of the day who wanted to play pleasant social cricket.

The objective was to foster cricket generally, but particularly in the country, by playing mid-week and Sunday games in addition to the normal Premier Cricket fixtures. The concept was so successful that the club is still flourishing with a membership in excess of 400, a fixture list of 15-20 games each year, and plenty of tours, both locally and overseas.

The mid-week games, usually played on Wednesday afternoons at the Albert Ground, should be of particular interest as an opportunity to get extra match practice in the best conditions in Australia.

XXIX Club teams have visited England, south-east Asia, Canada, Singapore and Thailand. Everyone should go on at least one XXIX Club tour; they are highly recommended as a nice blend of holiday and cricket.

Another major activity each year is the XXIX Club Annual Dinner, which falls during AFL Grand Final week and boasts an illustrious list of Guest Speakers.

The benefits of joining the XXIX Club are varied and include:

• Approximately 15 fixtures throughout the Australian season, with home fixtures played at the Albert Ground and the MCC’s new ground at Beaumaris (which allows day/night fixtures). Many of our members just play one to three games per year.
• International cricket tours arranged by the XXIX Club – in August 2018 the club toured Malaysia for 6 days (based at Royal Selangor CC in Kuala Lumpur), and in June/July 2023 the club went on an Ashes Tour which featured 8 games across Spain and the UK and a visit to Lord's for the historic Test match. We have sent a squad to England for every Ashes series since 1989 and this will continue in the future.
• Fixtures against international touring sides – in recent years we have hosted Singapore Cricket Club, Hong Kong Cricket Club and the Cricket Club of India in Melbourne.
• Regional tours/weekends away – in recent times this has included games at Puckapunyal, the Mornington Peninsula, Port Fairy, the Bradman Oval in Bowral and the Gold Coast.
• An annual XXIX Club v MCC fixture played on the MCG, and a bi-annual XXIX Club v Cricket Club of NSW fixture historically played at the SCG or another prominent Sydney oval.
• Up to two MCG Test Match luncheons exclusive to XXIX Club members and their guests, conducted during the Boxing Day Test (usually days 1 and 3).
• Several XXIX Club ‘Long Room Luncheons’ held throughout the year in the MCC Long Room, which feature a guest speaker and are subsidised for XXIX Club members.
• One or two catered functions exclusively for XXIX Club members and their guests at AFL matches at the MCG through the football season.
• The XXIX Club Annual Dinner each year, featuring a prominent cricket-related guest speaker entertaining around 300 members and their guests in the MCC Members' Dining Room.

Joining the XXIX Club

All MCC members and those Playing members on the waiting list are eligible for XXIX Club membership, subject to acceptance of a nomination form supported by a proposer and a seconder, each of whom is required to be a financial member of the XXIX Club of at least 12 months standing.

There is an entrance fee of $60 and the annual subscription is $60. For this you shall gain access to all XXIX Club a events, as well as a club tie and a club cap (presented to you when you play your first fixture). The ground hire and catering costs associated with all fixtures are funded by the XXIX Club out of membership subscriptions. Members are kept updated of the club’s lunches and other social activities via regular emails.

Members are urged to encourage others to join. We are particularly keen to swell the ranks of those whose interest in cricket is not confined to spectatorship.

You can download a XXIX Club New Member Application Form here.

Annual Report

View the latest XXIX Club Annual Report

MCC XXIX Club Committee and Governance

Chairman: Michael Sholly 
Secretary: Matthew Stein
Treasurer: Mark Butler
Committee: Mark Anderson, Phil Halbish, Ashley Middlin, Tim Norton, Peter Petricola, Colin Walker and Matthew Curtain.

Contact the XXIX Club

For queries surrounding Membership and joining the Club, please contact Matthew Stein (matthew.stein@visy.com.au) or Peter Petricola (peter.petricola@multiplex.global).

For queries surrounding XXIX Club Functions, please contact the MCC Functions Team (specialinterestgroups@mcc.org.au).

For all other general enquiries, please contact Braden Tuohey (bradent@mcc.org.au).