Mortlake granted entry into Warrnambool and District Cricket Association top-flight for first season

The Cats - a former powerhouse of South West Cricket - enter the top-flight of the WDCA for season 2022-23 and will also have teams in division two and division four, with the women's team and a few junior teams to make the move across too.

"The club is very excited to test ourselves against the best in the WDCA," Cats president Jimmy Tarbolton said.

"We aren't there to just make up the numbers, we feel we can make an impact in the competition.

"This transfer comes off the back of a lot of hard work from some great club people over many years. We are now in the position to keep evolving as a club. We have a lot of work to do still to get ready for round one but no stone will be left unturned in order to compete in all grades."

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Tarbolton said it was an exciting period for the club's juniors too.

"We are excited to work with Cobden in the under 13s and under 15s again this season. The relationship over the last couple of years has been symbiotic and very good for the junior development within both clubs," he said.

"(We) plan to enter a standalone under 17s side (in the WDCA), which will be the progression of a back-to-back SWC premiership under 16s team."

WDCA chairperson Gordon McLeod said it was pleasing result for the club and association.

"That's been approved which is great, we're pleased with that result, they're suitable to play division one," he said.

"They demonstrated to us that they're strong enough for division one cricket ,we think it'll benefit cricket in the region and them as a club."

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