Victorian Premier Cricket
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Victorian Premier Cricket is the elite club cricket competition in the state of Victoria (Australia), 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 the competition are selected to play for the Victorian Bushrangers at first-class and List A level, in the Pura Cup and ING Cup competitions respectively. The competition commenced in the 1906–07 season when it was known as "District cricket"; the competition was renamed in 1990. Separate competitions for one-day matches (2002–03) and Twenty20 (2005–06) have recently been established.
Contents |
[edit] Current clubs
| Club | Emblem | Formed | Home Ground | 1st XI Titles |
First Competed |
Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camberwell Magpies | Magpies | 1906 | Camberwell Sports Ground, Camberwell | 4 | 1906–07 | Inaugural club; amalgamated with Camberwell (Sub-District) in 1996 |
| Carlton | Blues | 1864 | Princes Park, North Carlton | 8 | 1906–07 | Inaugural club |
| Casey-South Melbourne | Bloods | 1862 | Casey Fields, Cranbourne East | 3 | 1906–07 | Inaugural club, relocated in 2006 |
| Dandenong | Panthers | 1908 | Shepley Oval, Dandenong | 1 | 1974–75 | Waverley promoted from Sub-District 1974, amalgamated with Dandenong (Sub-District) in 1989, vacating Central Park, Glen Waverley to use Shepley Oval |
| Essendon | 1872 | Windy Hill, Essendon | 2 | 1906–07 | Inaugural club | |
| Fitzroy-Doncaster | Lions | Schramm's Reserve, Doncaster | 8 | 1906–07 | Inaugural club, amalgamated with Doncaster in 1985 | |
| Footscray-Edgewater | Bulldogs | Merv Hughes Oval, Footscray | 1 | 1948–49 | Promoted from Sub-District 1948 | |
| Frankston Peninsula | Heat | AH Butler Oval, Frankston | 0 | 1993–94 | Promoted from Sub-District 1993 | |
| Geelong | Cats | Kardinia Park, Geelong | 0 | 1993–94 | Promoted from Sub-District 1993 | |
| Hawthorn-Monash University | Hawks | 1860 | Monash University campus, Clayton | 9 | 1906–07 | Inaugural club, originally known as East Melbourne, amalgamated with Hawthorn (Sub-District) in 1912 and moved to Glenferrie Oval, while in 1989 it moved to Central Reserve Waverley ujpon the amalgamation of Waverley and Dandenong at Dandenong. Then it amalgamated with Monash University (Sub-District) in 2003 and moved to the Monash University Sports Complex in Clayton in 2004. |
| Melbourne | Demons | 1838 | The Albert Ground, Melbourne | 18 | 1906–07 | Inaugural club, but ineligible for the premiership until 1914–15 |
| North Melbourne | Kangaroos | Arden Street Oval, North Melbourne | 0 | 1906–07 | Inaugural club | |
| Northcote | Dragons | Bill Lawry Oval, Northcote | 5 | 1907–08 | Promoted from Sub-District 1907 | |
| Prahran | Toorak Park, Armadale | 7 | 1906–07 | Inaugural club, originally called Hawksburn | ||
| Richmond | Tigers | 1854 | Punt Road Oval, Melbourne | 5 | 1906–07 | Inaugural club |
| Ringwood | Rams | Jubilee Park, Ringwood | 1 | 1974–75 | Promoted from Sub-District 1974 | |
| St Kilda | Saints | 1855 | Junction Oval, St Kilda | 18 | 1906–07 | Inaugural club |
| University | Students | 1856 | University of Melbourne campus, Parkville | 3 | 1906–07 | Inaugural club |
[edit] Ryder medal
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 the Collingwood club.
| Season | Player | Team | 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. |
[edit] History
Inter-club cricket in Melbourne had its beginnings during the 1850's, 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, East Melbourne, Essendon, Fitzroy, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Port Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda, South Melbourne, University 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" or "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. A promotion and relegation system between two grades was originally envisioned, and the premier club of second grade, Northcote, was promoted for 1907–08. However, the last-placed Collingwood was retained and the relegation idea dispensed with. The second grade were 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 1929–30 when the VCA Colts team 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 1948–49 to eliminate 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 1993-94 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 1997–98 season.
[edit] Amalgamations
In the post-war period, the competition has faced the challenge of periodic restructuring to reflect the growing metropolitan area of Melbourne. This has been achieved by amalgamating and relocating clubs. In 1985 Fitzroy moved its base to Doncaster, forming Fitzroy/Doncaster. Similarly, in 1989, Hawthorn/East Melbourne relocated to Glen Waverley in the eastern suburbs, and was later renamed Hawthorn/Waverley in 1994. The club merged with Sub-District club Monash University, to become Hawthorn/Monash University seven years later. The move of Hawthorn/East Melbourne caused Waverley to move to Dandenong, and the new team played as Waverley/Dandenong, but dopped Waverley from its' name for the 1994–95 season.
Two more inner-suburban clubs have reorganised. Prior to the 1996–97 season, Collingwood left Victoria Park and amalgamated with Sub-District club Camberwell to become Camberwell Magpies based at the Camberwell Sports Ground, while prior to the 2000–01 season, Footscray became Footscray/Victoria University. The latter club is now known as Footscray Edgewater due to a unique business partnership with the residential development adjoining its' home ground, the Merv Hughes Oval.
[edit] Administration
Victorian Premier Cricket is run by the Cricket Victoria's Pennant Committee, which deals with grounds, fixtures, playing dates, venues, umpires, ladders, player eligibility and registrations, disputes, rules, etc are overseen by the Pennant Committee. The Pennant Committee comprises five delegates elected at the AGM of Cricket Victoria held every August. Currently, the members are Russell Thomas (Chairman), Kevan Carroll, John Malligan, John McConville and Ken Stone. 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.
