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Victorian Premier Cricket
AdministratorCricket Victoria
Format2-day matches, 1-day matches, Twenty20
First edition1906–07
Tournament formathome and away, finals
Number of teams18
Current championCarlton (2023/24)
Most successful22 Melbourne
Most runsAustralia Warren Ayres (15,277)[1]
Most wicketsAustralia Bert Ironmonger (862)[2]

Victorian Premier Cricket is the highest level club cricket competition in the state of Victoria, administered by Cricket Victoria. Each club fields four teams (firsts through to fourths) of adult players and usually play on Saturdays and public holidays. Matches are played on turf wickets. The competition commenced in the 1906–07 season when it was known as "district cricket" with players allocated to their clubs based on residential qualifications. The district qualification has since been removed and competition was renamed in 1990.

Throughout the majority of its history, the competition was played under two-day, two-innings-per-side rules, with most results being decided on a first-innings basis. In the early 21st century, separate competitions under the premier cricket banner were established for one-day matches (2002–03 to 2017–18) and Twenty20 (2005–06 to 2013–14). These have since been combined, and there is now a single premier cricket competition which features a combination of fixtures in all three formats across the season.

Outstanding players in the competition are selected to play for the Victorian Cricket Team at first-class and List A level, in the Sheffield Shield and Marsh One Day Cup competitions respectively.

History

[edit]

Inter-club cricket in Melbourne had its beginnings during the 1850s, with matches arranged on an informal basis. The newspapers usually decided the season's best team via the consensus of journalists. In 1870, the Challenge Cup was introduced, beginning an era of more structured competition.

For the 1889–90 season, a program of pennant matches was devised over eight rounds, which began the era of club competition recognisable today. The original competing teams were Carlton, Essendon, East Melbourne, Fitzroy, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Port Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda, South Melbourne, University and Williamstown. There were no restrictions on the recruitment of players and the stronger clubs (such as East Melbourne, Melbourne and South Melbourne) attracted the leading players, and other teams remained very weak, and the unevenness of the competition resulted in a lack of public support. In 1892–93, the competition split into two divisions; and in 1895–96, it split outright into two competitions when the stronger teams seceded.[3] However, unevenness persisted.

The solution was found in a district cricket scheme, under which players needed a residential qualification to play for their club. In 1903, a VCA sub-committee recommended the implementation of the system. Due to many differences of opinion (most notably, the powerful Melbourne Cricket Club dissented), district cricket did not commence until 1906–07. The eleven inaugural district teams were Carlton, Collingwood (a newly formed club), East Melbourne, Essendon, Fitzroy, Hawksburn (which became Prahran the following year), North Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda, South Melbourne and University – with Melbourne notably absent, maintaining a senior playing presence under non-district rules, but not part of the premiership. A promotion and relegation system between an A Grade and B Grade was originally envisioned but dispensed with; and the premier club of second grade, Northcote, was promoted for 1907–08, bringing the competition's size to twelve clubs. Melbourne finally joined the competition in 1914–15, under special rules allowing it to draw players from anywhere but with a limit on how many could be drawn from any single other club's district.[4]

The uneven number of teams necessitated a bye, which remained until 1929/30 when the VCA Colts team comprising under-22s across all districts was included.[5] The Colts team competed for eleven seasons but disbanded during World War II. Matches continued through the war (although they were not for points) and Footscray was admitted for 1948–49, which again eliminated the bye.

From the 1970s onwards, there was consistent expansion of the competition into the outer suburbs. This first occurred with the promotion of two clubs representing outer-suburban areas, Ringwood and Waverley, from Sub-District in 1974–75. Eighteen sides have participated since 1993–94 when teams from Geelong and Frankston Peninsula were admitted. Through this period, there were also relocations of almost half of the existing clubs from their original inner-suburban grounds to new outer-suburban homes.

Since 1909–10, the premiership has been decided on the basis of a finals series played after the regular season. This comprised four teams throughout most of its history, before being increased to a final six in 1997–98 season, and later to a final eight.

Clubs

[edit]
Colours Club Emblem Formed Home ground 1st XI titles First competed Note
Camberwell Magpies 1906 Camberwell Sports Ground, Camberwell 4 1906–07 Inaugural club (Collingwood);
amalgamated with Camberwell (Sub-District) in 1996–97
Carlton Blues 1864 Princes Park, Carlton North 11 1906–07 Inaugural club
Casey-South Melbourne Swans 1862 Casey Fields, Cranbourne East 3 1906–07 Inaugural club (South Melbourne),
relocated and renamed Casey-South Melbourne in 2005–06
Dandenong Panthers 1908 Shepley Oval, Dandenong 3 1974–75 Promoted from Sub-District in 1974–75 as Waverley;
amalgamated with and moved to Dandenong (Sub-District) in 1989–90 as Waverley-Dandenong;
renamed Dandenong-Waverley in 1992–93;
renamed Dandenong in 1994–95
Essendon Bombers 1872 Windy Hill, Essendon 2 1906–07 Inaugural club
Fitzroy Doncaster Lions 1861 Schramm's Reserve, Doncaster 10 1906–07 Inaugural club (Fitzroy);
amalgamated with Doncaster (Sub-District) in 1986–87
Footscray Bulldogs 1883 Merv Hughes Oval, Footscray 2 1948–49 Promoted from Sub-District in 1948;
known as Footscray-Victoria University from 2000-01 until 2003–04, then as Footscray-Edgewater from 2004–05 until 2016–17
Frankston Peninsula Heat 1880 AH Butler Oval, Frankston 0 1993–94 Promoted from Sub-District in 1993–94
Geelong Cats 1993 Kardinia Park, Geelong 0 1993–94 Promoted from Sub-District in 1993–94
Greenvale Kangaroos Greenvale Recreation Reserve, Greenvale 0 1906–07 Inaugural club (North Melbourne);
temporarily amalgamated with Geelong (sub-district) as North Melbourne–Geelong from 1985 to 1986 until 1987–88; amalgamated with and moved to Greenvale in 2013–14[6]
Kingston Hawthorn Hawks 1860 Walter Galt Reserve, Parkdale 9 1906–07 Inaugural club (East Melbourne); amalgamated with and moved to Hawthorn (Sub-District) in 1921–22 as Hawthorn-East Melbourne;
moved to Waverley in 1989-90 and renamed Hawthorn-Waverley in 1994–95;
amalgamated with Monash University (Sub-District) in 2001–02 as Hawthorn-Monash University and moved to the Monash University Sports Complex in Clayton in 2004;
amalgamated with Kingston Saints (Sub-District) in 2015–16 and moved to Parkdale as Kingston Hawthorn.
Melbourne Demons 1838 Albert Cricket Ground, Melbourne 22 1906–07 Inaugural club,
but ineligible for the premiership until 1914–15
Melbourne University Students 1856 University of Melbourne campus, Parkville 3 1906–07 Inaugural club, also known as University
Northcote Dragons Bill Lawry Oval, Northcote 5 1907–08 Promoted from Sub-District 1907–08
Prahran True Blues Toorak Park, Armadale 8 1906–07 Inaugural club (Hawksburn);
renamed Prahran in 1907–08.
Richmond Tigers 1854 Central Reserve, Glen Waverley 6 1906–07 Inaugural club (Richmond);
relocated to Glen Waverley in 2010–11, and changed its trading name to Monash Tigers from 2013–14 until 2019-20 (although the club was legally still known as Richmond). The 2020/21 season saw the club return to the "Richmond Cricket Club" name
Ringwood Rams Jubilee Park, Ringwood 3 1974–75 Promoted from Sub-District 1974
St Kilda Saints 1855 Junction Oval, St Kilda 18 1906–07 Inaugural club

Premierships correct to the end of 2022/23 season.

First XI premierships

[edit]
Two-day/All forms
  • 1906-07 East Melbourne (1)
  • 1907-08 East Melbourne (2)
  • 1908-09 Prahran (1)
  • 1909-10 St Kilda (1)
  • 1910-11 Prahran (2)
  • 1911-12 Northcote (1)
  • 1912-13 Collingwood (1)
  • 1913-14 St Kilda (2)
  • 1914-15 Melbourne (1)
  • 1915-16 Not held Due To WWI
  • 1916-17 Not held Due To WWI
  • 1917-18 Not held Due To WWI
  • 1918-19 Not held Due To WWI
  • 1919-20 Melbourne (2)
  • 1920-21 Prahran (3)
  • 1921-22 Prahran (4)
  • 1922-23 Prahran (5)
  • 1923-24 St Kilda (3)
  • 1924-25 St Kilda (4)
  • 1925-26 St Kilda (5)
  • 1926-27 St Kilda (6)
  • 1927-28 Hawthorn-East Melbourne (3)
  • 1928-29 University (1)
  • 1929-30 Melbourne (3)
  • 1930-31 Fitzroy (1)
  • 1931-32 St Kilda (7)
  • 1932-33 Melbourne (4)
  • 1933-34 St Kilda (8)
  • 1934-35 Melbourne (5)
  • 1935-36 Melbourne (6)
  • 1936-37 Melbourne (7)
  • 1937-38 Melbourne (8)
  • 1938-39 Fitzroy (2)
  • 1939-40 Fitzroy (3)
  • 1940-41 Not held Due To WWII
  • 1941-42 Not held Due To WWII
  • 1942-43 Not held Due To WWII
  • 1943-44 Not held Due To WWII
  • 1944-45 Not held Due To WWII
  • 1945-46 Carlton (1)
  • 1946-47 Richmond (1)
  • 1947-48 Carlton (2)
  • 1948-49 Melbourne (9)
  • 1949-50 Hawthorn-East Melbourne (4)
  • 1950-51 Hawthorn-East Melbourne (5)
  • 1951-52 Melbourne (10)
  • 1952-53 South Melbourne (1)
  • 1953-54 Fitzroy (4)
  • 1954-55 Prahran (6)
  • 1955-56 Hawthorn-East Melbourne (6)
  • 1956-57 Carlton (3)
  • 1957-58 Carlton (4)
  • 1958-59 Melbourne (11)
  • 1959-60 South Melbourne (2)
  • 1960-61 Fitzroy (5)
  • 1961-62 St Kilda (9)
  • 1962-63 Hawthorn-East Melbourne (7)
  • 1963-64 Essendon (1)
  • 1964-65 St Kilda (10)
  • 1965-66 Northcote (2)
  • 1966-67 Fitzroy (6)
  • 1967-68 South Melbourne (3)
  • 1968-69 Carlton (5)
  • 1969-70 Essendon (2)
  • 1970-71 Collingwood (2)
  • 1971-72 Hawthorn-East Melbourne (8)
  • 1972-73 Melbourne (12)
  • 1973-74 Northcote (3)
  • 1974-75 Collingwood (3)
  • 1975-76 Melbourne (13)
  • 1976-77 Richmond (2)
  • 1977-78 Carlton (6)
  • 1978-79 Carlton (7)
  • 1979-80 Footscray (1)
  • 1980-81 Carlton (8)
  • 1981-82 Melbourne (14)
  • 1982-83 Richmond (3)
  • 1983-84 Prahran (7)
  • 1984-85 St Kilda (11)
  • 1985-86 St Kilda (12)
  • 1986-87 Northcote (4)
  • 1987-88 Collingwood (4)
  • 1988-89 Melbourne (15)
  • 1989-90 Richmond (4)
  • 1990-91 University (2)
  • 1991-92 St Kilda (13)
  • 1992-93 Melbourne (16)
  • 1993-94 Fitzroy Doncaster (7)
  • 1994-95 Melbourne (17)
  • 1995-96 University (3)
  • 1996-97 Northcote (5)
  • 1997-98 Melbourne (18)
  • 1998-99 Hawthorn-Waverley (9)
  • 1999-00 Richmond (5)
  • 2000-01 St Kilda (14)
  • 2001-02 Fitzroy Doncaster (8)
  • 2002-03 St Kilda (15)
  • 2003-04 St Kilda (16)
  • 2004-05 St Kilda (17)
  • 2005-06 St Kilda (18)
  • 2006-07 Dandenong (1)
  • 2007-08 Ringwood (1)
  • 2008-09 Ringwood (2)
  • 2009-10 Melbourne (19)
  • 2010-11 Dandenong (2)
  • 2011-12 Richmond (6)
  • 2012-13 Melbourne (20)
  • 2013-14 Footscray Edgewater (2)
  • 2014-15 Ringwood (3)
  • 2015-16 Fitzroy Doncaster (9)
  • 2016-17 Fitzroy Doncaster (10)
  • 2017-18 Dandenong (3)
  • 2018-19 Carlton (9)
  • 2019-20 Melbourne (21)
  • 2020-21 Prahran (8)
  • 2021-22 Carlton (10)
  • 2022-23 Melbourne (22)
  • 2023-24 Carlton (11)
Source[7]
One-day/White-ball
Source[7]
Twenty-20/White-ball
Source[7]

Ryder Medal

[edit]

First presented in 1972–73, the award for the best player of the season is named after Jack Ryder, the former Australian captain who had a long and distinguished career with Collingwood.

Season Player/s Team/s Biography link
1972–73 Ron Bird Collingwood [1]
1973–74 John Grant Essendon [2]
1974–75 John Grant Essendon
1975–76 Keith Stackpole Carlton
1976–77 John Shepherd Footscray [3]
1977–78 Keith Stackpole Carlton
1978–79 Keith Stackpole Carlton
1979–80 Barry Watson Footscray [4]
1980–81 Gary Cosier Northcote
1981–82 Mick Taylor South Melbourne
1982–83 John Douglas Carlton [5]
1983–84 Trevor Laughlin Collingwood
1984–85 Andrew Wildsmith Northcote [6]
1985–86 Michael Ephraims Prahran [7]
1986–87 Warren Whiteside St Kilda [8]
1987–88 Wayne N. Phillips South Melbourne
1988–89 Richard McCarthy North Melbourne [9]
1989–90 Warren Whiteside St Kilda
1990–91 Warren Whiteside St Kilda
1991–92 Mark Ridgway Fitzroy/Doncaster [10]
1992–93 Mark Leehane Essendon [11]
1993–94 Gary Watts Fitzroy/Doncaster [12]
1994–95 Warren Ayres Melbourne
1995–96 Brendan Joyce Fitzroy/Doncaster [13]
1996–97 Ian Wrigglesworth Carlton [14]
1997–98 PQ Harper University
1998–99 Abdul Qadir Carlton
1999–2000 Carl Hooper Carlton
2000–01 (tied) Paul Collingwood, DM Dempsey Richmond, Ringwood
2001–02 Warren Ayres Melbourne
2002–03 CBD Street Fitzroy/Doncaster
2003–04 (tied) RA Bartlett, Adam Dale Northcote, North Melbourne
2004–05 Simon Dart Hawthorn/Monash Uni.
2005–06 (tied) MD Allen, Graeme Rummans Carlton, St Kilda
2006–07 Graeme Rummans St Kilda
2007–08 Steven Spoljaric Hawthorn/Monash Uni.
2008–09 Gareth Cross St Kilda
2009–10 Graeme Rummans St Kilda
2010–11 Theo Doropoulos Northcote
2011–12 Clive Rose Casey-South Melbourne
2012–13 Brenton McDonald Melbourne
2013–14 James Miller Prahran
2014–15 Ian Holland Ringwood
2015–16 Steve Taylor Northcote
2016–17 Brendan Drew Camberwell
2017–18 Trent Lawford Fitzroy Doncaster
2018–19 Brett Forsyth Dandenong
2019-20 (tied) David King, James Seymour Ringwood, Essendon
2020-21 Scott Edwards[8] Richmond
2021-22 Dean Russ Footscray
2022-23 Harrison Smyth Carlton

John Scholes Medal

[edit]

Presented in season 2001–02 under the name of Cricket Victoria Medal, the John Scholes medal is awarded to the best player in the Victorian Premier Cricket 1st XI final. The name was changed for the 2003–04 season.[9]

Season Player Team
2001–02 JL Travaglia Fitzroy Doncaster
2002–03 GC Rummans St Kilda
2003–04 GC Rummans St Kilda
2004–05 TDB O'Sullivan St Kilda
2005–06 M Klinger St Kilda
2006–07 PM Boraston Dandenong
2007–08 MR King Ringwood
2008–09 ST Gilmour Ringwood
2009–10 RJ Cooper Melbourne
2010–11 JL Pattinson Dandenong
2011–12 WD Sheridan Richmond
2012–13 Matthew Begbie Melbourne CC
2013–14 S Dissanayaka Footscray-Edgewater
2014–15 Ian Holland Ringwood
2015–16 Peter Dickson Fitzroy Doncaster
2016–17 Matthew Brown Melbourne
2017–18 Peter Siddle[10] Dandenong
2018–19 Evan Gulbis Carlton
2019–20 Final not contested due to COVID-19 Final not contested due to COVID-19
2020-21 Damon Egan Prahran
2021-22 Thomas Smyth Carlton

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Ayres chasing Premier record in the game – Cricket". The Age. 22 January 2005. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  2. ^ "Victorian Premier Cricket". Premier.cricketvictoria.com.au. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  3. ^ "Victorian Cricket Council: A senior clubs' league". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. 31 August 1895. p. 9.
  4. ^ "District cricket: agreement with M.C.C.". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. 7 July 1914. p. 13.
  5. ^ E. H. M. Baillie (28 August 1929). "The Colts Team". The Sporting Globe. p. 1.
  6. ^ Liam McAleer (31 December 2013). "Hume Leader looks back on the biggest stories of 2013". Hume Leader. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  7. ^ a b c "Premierships - Men". Cricket Victoria. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Cricket Victoria celebrates 2020-21 Premier Cricket award winners". Cricket Victoria. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Victorian Premier Cricket". Premier.cricketvictoria.com.au. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  10. ^ Toby Prime (2 April 2018). "Premier Cricket final: Dandenong crushes Fitzroy-Doncaster in decider with Test quick Peter Siddle man of the match". Greater Dandenong Leader. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
[edit]
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