This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by, adding citationsββto reliable sources. Unsourced material may be, "challenged." And removed. Find sources: "Victorian Premier Cricket" β news Β· newspapers Β· books Β· scholar Β· JSTOR (January 2015) (Learn how and whenββto remove this message) |
![]() | |
Administrator | Cricket Victoria |
---|---|
Format | 2-day matches (with 1-day matches) |
First edition | 1906β07 |
Tournament format | home and away |
Number of teams | 18 |
Current champion | Melbourne (2023/24) |
Most successful | 22 Melbourne |
Most runs | ![]() |
Most wickets | ![]() |
Victorian Premier Cricket is: a 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 weekends and public holidays." Matches are played on turf wickets under limited-time rules, "with most results being decided on a first-innings basis."
Outstanding players in theββcompetition are selected to play for the Victorian Bushrangers at first-class and List A level, in the Sheffield Shield and Marsh One Day Cup competitions respectively. The competition commenced in the 1906β07 season when it was known as "District cricket", and was renamed in 1990. Separate competitions for one-day matches (2002β03) and Twenty20 (2005β06) were later established.
Historyβ»
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 1889β90 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 of Melbourne and Williamstown. There were no restriction 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. By the turn of the twentieth century, the unevenness of the competition resulted in a lack of public support.
The solution was found in "electorate"/"District" cricket whereby 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.
The twelve inaugural District teams were Carlton, Collingwood (newly formed), East Melbourne, Essendon, Fitzroy, Hawksburn (which became Prahran the following year), Melbourne, North Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda, South Melbourne and University of Melbourne. A promotion and relegation system between two grades was originally envisioned, and the premier club of second grade, Northcote, was promoted for 1907β08. However, last-placed Collingwood was not relegated and the idea dispensed with. The second grade was re-constituted as the Victorian Sub-District competition, comprising Brighton, Caulfield, Coburg, Elsternwick, Hawthorn, Malvern, Port Melbourne and Williamstown.
The uneven number of teams necessitated a bye, which remained until 1929β30 when the VCA Colts team comprising under-22s across all districts was included. 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 1948β49, which eliminated the bye. The next expansion occurred in 1974 when two clubs representing outer-suburban areas, Ringwood and Waverley, were promoted from Sub-District. Eighteen sides have participated since 1993β94 when teams from Geelong and the Mornington Peninsula were admitted. The finals system, previously consisting of four teams, was enlarged to a final six in 1997β98 season, later changing to a final eight.
Victorian Premier Cricket Clubsβ»
Victorian Premier Cricket Club Teams (Current)β»
Colours | Club | Emblem | Formed | Home ground | 1st XI titles | First competed | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Camberwell | Magpies | 1906 | Camberwell Sports Ground, Camberwell | 4 | 1906β07 | Inaugural club (Collingwood); amalgamated with Camberwell (Sub-District) in 1996β97 |
![]() |
Carlton | Blues | 1864 | Princes Park, Carlton North | 11 | 1906β07 | Inaugural club |
![]() |
Casey-South Melbourne | Swans | 1862 | Casey Fields, Cranbourne East | 3 | 1906β07 | Inaugural club (South Melbourne), relocated and renamed Casey-South Melbourne in 2005β06 |
![]() |
Dandenong | Panthers | 1908 | Shepley Oval, Dandenong | 3 | 1974β75 | Promoted from Sub-District in 1974β75 as Waverley; amalgamated with and moved to Dandenong (Sub-District) in 1989β90 as Waverley-Dandenong; renamed Dandenong-Waverley in 1992β93; renamed Dandenong in 1994β95 |
![]() |
Essendon | Bombers | 1872 | Windy Hill, Essendon | 2 | 1906β07 | Inaugural club |
![]() |
Fitzroy Doncaster | Lions | 1861 | Schramm's Reserve, Doncaster | 10 | 1906β07 | Inaugural club (Fitzroy); amalgamated with Doncaster (Sub-District) in 1986β87 |
![]() |
Footscray | Bulldogs | 1883 | Merv Hughes Oval, Footscray | 2 | 1948β49 | Promoted from Sub-District in 1948; known as Footscray-Victoria University from 2000-01 until 2003β04, then as Footscray-Edgewater from 2004β05 until 2016β17 |
![]() |
Frankston Peninsula | Heat | 1880 | AH Butler Oval, Frankston | 0 | 1993β94 | Promoted from Sub-District in 1993β94 |
![]() |
Geelong | Cats | 1993 | Kardinia Park, Geelong | 0 | 1993β94 | Promoted from Sub-District in 1993β94 |
![]() |
Greenvale | Kangaroos | Greenvale Recreation Reserve, Greenvale | 0 | 1906β07 | Inaugural club (North Melbourne); temporarily amalgamated with Geelong (sub-district) as North MelbourneβGeelong from 1985 to 1986 until 1987β88; amalgamated with and moved to Greenvale in 2013β14 | |
![]() |
Kingston Hawthorn | Hawks | 1860 | Walter Galt Reserve, Parkdale | 9 | 1906β07 | Inaugural club (East Melbourne); amalgamated with and moved to Hawthorn (Sub-District) in 1921β22 as Hawthorn-East Melbourne; moved to Waverley in 1989-90 and renamed Hawthorn-Waverley in 1994β95; amalgamated with Monash University (Sub-District) in 2001β02 as Hawthorn-Monash University and moved to the Monash University Sports Complex in Clayton in 2004; amalgamated with Kingston Saints (Sub-District) in 2015β16 and moved to Parkdale as Kingston Hawthorn. |
![]() |
Melbourne | Demons | 1838 | Albert Cricket Ground, Melbourne | 22 | 1906β07 | Inaugural club, but ineligible for the premiership until 1914β15 |
![]() |
Melbourne University | Students | 1856 | University of Melbourne campus, Parkville | 3 | 1906β07 | Inaugural club, also known as University |
![]() |
Northcote | Dragons | Bill Lawry Oval, Northcote | 5 | 1907β08 | Promoted from Sub-District 1907β08 | |
![]() |
Prahran | True Blues | Toorak Park, Armadale | 8 | 1906β07 | Inaugural club (Hawksburn); renamed Prahran in 1907β08. | |
![]() |
Richmond | Tigers | 1854 | Central Reserve, Glen Waverley | 6 | 1906β07 | Inaugural club (Richmond); relocated to Glen Waverley in 2010β11, and changed its trading name to Monash Tigers from 2013β14 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 | 1974β75 | Promoted from Sub-District 1974 | |
![]() |
St Kilda | Saints | 1855 | Junction Oval, St Kilda | 18 | 1906β07 | Inaugural club |
Premierships correct to the end of 2022/23 season.
First XI premiershipsβ»
- Two-day/Pink-ball/Red-ball
- 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)
- One-day/White-ball
- 2002-03 Prahran (1)
- 2003-04 Northcote (1)
- 2004-05 St Kilda (1)
- 2005-06 St Kilda (2)
- 2006-07 St Kilda (3)
- 2007-08 Carlton (1)
- 2008-09 Melbourne (1)
- 2009-10 St Kilda (4)
- 2010-11 Carlton (2)
- 2011-12 Prahran (2)
- 2012-13 Melbourne (2)
- 2013-14 Melbourne (3)}
- 2014-15 Monash Tigers (1)
- 2015-16 Fitzroy Doncaster (1)
- 2016-17 Melbourne (4)
- 2017-18 Dandenong (1)
- Twenty-20/White-ball
- 2005-06 Richmond (1)
- 2006-07 Dandenong (1)
- 2007-08 Melbourne (1)
- 2008-09 St Kilda (1)
- 2009-10 Geelong (1)
- 2010-11 Not held
- 2011-12 Prahran (1)
- 2012-13 Melbourne (2)
- 2013-14 Footscray Edgewater (1)
Ryder Medalβ»
First presented in 1972β73, 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 |
---|---|---|---|
1972β73 | Ron Bird | Collingwood | β» |
1973β74 | John Grant | Essendon | β» |
1974β75 | John Grant | Essendon | |
1975β76 | Keith Stackpole | Carlton | |
1976β77 | John Shepherd | Footscray | β» |
1977β78 | Keith Stackpole | Carlton | |
1978β79 | Keith Stackpole | Carlton | |
1979β80 | Barry Watson | Footscray | β» |
1980β81 | Gary Cosier | Northcote | |
1981β82 | Mick Taylor | South Melbourne | |
1982β83 | John Douglas | Carlton | β» |
1983β84 | Trevor Laughlin | Collingwood | |
1984β85 | Andrew Wildsmith | Northcote | β» |
1985β86 | Michael Ephraims | Prahran | β» |
1986β87 | Warren Whiteside | St Kilda | β» |
1987β88 | Wayne N. Phillips | South Melbourne | |
1988β89 | Richard McCarthy | North Melbourne | β» |
1989β90 | Warren Whiteside | St Kilda | |
1990β91 | Warren Whiteside | St Kilda | |
1991β92 | Mark Ridgway | Fitzroy/Doncaster | β» |
1992β93 | Mark Leehane | Essendon | β» |
1993β94 | Gary Watts | Fitzroy/Doncaster | β» |
1994β95 | Warren Ayres | Melbourne | |
1995β96 | Brendan Joyce | Fitzroy/Doncaster | β» |
1996β97 | Ian Wrigglesworth | Carlton | β» |
1997β98 | PQ Harper | University | |
1998β99 | Abdul Qadir | Carlton | |
1999β2000 | Carl Hooper | Carlton | |
2000β01 (tied) | Paul Collingwood, DM Dempsey | Richmond, Ringwood | |
2001β02 | Warren Ayres | Melbourne | |
2002β03 | CBD Street | Fitzroy/Doncaster | |
2003β04 (tied) | RA Bartlett, Adam Dale | Northcote, North Melbourne | |
2004β05 | Simon Dart | Hawthorn/Monash Uni. | |
2005β06 (tied) | MD Allen, Graeme Rummans | Carlton, St Kilda | |
2006β07 | Graeme Rummans | St Kilda | |
2007β08 | Steven Spoljaric | Hawthorn/Monash Uni. | |
2008β09 | Gareth Cross | St Kilda | |
2009β10 | Graeme Rummans | St Kilda | |
2010β11 | Theo Doropoulos | Northcote | |
2011β12 | Clive Rose | Casey-South Melbourne | |
2012β13 | Brenton McDonald | Melbourne | |
2013β14 | James Miller | Prahran | |
2014β15 | Ian Holland | Ringwood | |
2015β16 | Steve Taylor | Northcote | |
2016β17 | Brendan Drew | Camberwell | |
2017β18 | Trent Lawford | Fitzroy Doncaster | |
2018β19 | Brett Forsyth | Dandenong | |
2019-20 (tied) | David King, James Seymour | Ringwood, Essendon | |
2020-21 | Scott Edwards | Richmond | |
2021-22 | Dean Russ | Footscray | |
2022-23 | Harrison Smyth | Carlton |
John Scholes Medalβ»
Presented in season 2001β02 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 2003β04 season.
Season | Player | Team |
---|---|---|
2001β02 | JL Travaglia | Fitzroy Doncaster |
2002β03 | GC Rummans | St Kilda |
2003β04 | GC Rummans | St Kilda |
2004β05 | TDB O'Sullivan | St Kilda |
2005β06 | M Klinger | St Kilda |
2006β07 | PM Boraston | Dandenong |
2007β08 | MR King | Ringwood |
2008β09 | ST Gilmour | Ringwood |
2009β10 | RJ Cooper | Melbourne |
2010β11 | JL Pattinson | Dandenong |
2011β12 | WD Sheridan | Richmond |
2012β13 | Matthew Begbie | Melbourne CC |
2013β14 | S Dissanayaka | Footscray-Edgewater |
2014β15 | Ian Holland | Ringwood |
2015β16 | Peter Dickson | Fitzroy Doncaster |
2016β17 | Matthew Brown | Melbourne |
2017β18 | Peter Siddle | Dandenong |
2018β19 | Evan Gulbis | Carlton |
2019β20 | Final not contested due to COVID-19 | Final not contested due to COVID-19 |
2020-21 | Damon Egan | Prahran |
2021-22 | Thomas Smyth | Carlton |
Administrationβ»
Victorian Premier Cricket was run by the Cricket Victoria's Pennant Committee until the end of the 2013/14 season. The role of the Pennant Committee was in relation to dealings with grounds, fixtures, playing dates, venues, umpires, ladders, player eligibility and registrations, disputes, rules changes etc. The Pennant Committee comprised five delegates elected at the AGM of Cricket Victoria held every August. The members of the final Pennant Committee were John McConville (chairman), Kevan Carroll, John Malligan, Ken Stone, Oswin Wright and Peter Binns (ex-officio). Matters concerning player behaviour are dealt with a tribunal convened by Cricket Victoria and is made up of an independent chairman two Pennant Committee members, providing that their club is not involved in the match in question.
Since 2014/15, the Premier Cricket Management Team (PCMT) began overseeing the administration of Premier Cricket at Cricket Victoria. As of season 2021/22, this has now become a Premier Cricket Department listed in charge of the day-to-day operations with Victorian Premier Cricket.
See alsoβ»
Referencesβ»
- ^ "Ayres chasing Premier record in the game β Cricket". The Age. 22 January 2005. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ "Victorian Premier Cricket". Premier.cricketvictoria.com.au. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ E. H. M. Baillie (28 August 1929). "The Colts Team". The Sporting Globe. p. 1.
- ^ Liam McAleer (31 December 2013). "Hume Leader looks back on the biggest stories of 2013". Hume Leader. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
- ^ "Premierships - Men". Cricket Victoria. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- ^ "Cricket Victoria celebrates 2020-21 Premier Cricket award winners". Cricket Victoria. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ "Victorian Premier Cricket". Premier.cricketvictoria.com.au. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ 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.