MELBOURNE Country Week would not be the same without Murray Valley legend Mick Cleeland.

The soon-to-start carnival is Cleeland's 20th as player or coach.

A troublesome hip has forced his premature retirement, but he has a hands-on interest in this year's carnival side with Waaia pair Chris Armstrong and Englishman Alex Osmond among the MV's representative squad.

Cleeland is proud Waaia, population 92, fields three senior and two junior teams and, as reigning first XI premier, remains the team to beat.

He and his brother, opening bowler Bevan, have been front and centre in Waaia's proud record of five flags from the mid '90s to 2010-11.

A batting allrounder, Cleeland has 30 100s to his credit, including 110 in a grand final against Barooga at Cobram in the late '90s.

"We were chasing 260-odd and fell just 25 or so runs short," he said. "Any ton in a final is good, but it would have capped it off if we'd won."

Other than an occasional Sunday game filling-in in the lower XIs, he has played little of late, but says coaching "is the next best thing".

Country Week is an opportunity not only to play the best cricket of the season, but it is also time to catch up with many of his mates.

"We're as competitive as we come, but afterwards it's like old home week, a stack of fun," he said.

The best country cricketers he has seen include Moama's Jamie Murphy, Mornington Peninsula's Robbie Bedford and Kyabram's Brad Campbell.

"I'd better also mention my brother (Bevan). He opened the bowling for us for years and was a part of all our flags," he said.

Cleeland said there was one football moment he would never forget - his after-the-siren torpedo goal against Blighty that gave Waaia a one-point victory in the 1990 Picola league grand final. Asked how far it went, he said: "It's still going!"