Just like Boxing Day backyard cricket, Premier Cricket is set for a fierce post-Christmas battle
There are just six matches left in the Premier Cricket season and the race for finals is heating up with 12 points separating sixth from 13th. See how every team is placed after Christmas.
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Premier Cricket makes its return for the second half of the 2019-20 season this weekend.
Just six matches remain and just 12 points separate sixth from 13th.
We’ve looked at how each club is placed heading into the run home and who is in the box set to feature in the finals.
CAMBERWELL MAGPIES
Currently: 13th (3W 1D 5L, 18pts, 0.938 run-rate)
Remaining fixtures: Northcote (A), Frankston Peninsula (H), Fitzroy Doncaster (H), Kingston Hawthorn (A), Essendon (H), Ringwood (A)
Leading run-scorer: Tom Russ 314 runs @ 34.9 (21st overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Andrew Fekete 16 wickets @ 14.9 (13th overall)
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Forecast: Finished 2019 with back-to-back wins and with six games remaining, the Magpies are seven points behind St Kilda in the race for the finals and has favourable match-ups against Frankston Peninsula, Fitzroy Doncaster (both at home) and Kingston Hawthorn (away). A final-round trip to Ringwood looms as a mini elimination final. Despite sitting 13th, is ranked seventh for runs scored but equal 15th in wickets taken.
CARLTON
Currently: 2nd (6W 2D 1L, 34pts, 1.425rr)
Remaining fixtures: Kingston Hawthorn (H), Geelong (A), St Kilda (H), Melbourne (A), Prahran (A), Footscray (H)
Leading run-scorer: Brayden Stepien 357 runs @ 51.0 (8th overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Cameron Stevenson 21 wickets @ 10.6 (2nd overall)
Forecast: Well placed to defend its crown by Carlton and will certainly be battle tested for finals with a tough run home. Led by Cam Stevenson and Evan Gulbis, the Blues boast one of the most feared attacks in Premier Cricket. However, the premiers would no doubt like more run support with only Brayden Stepien inside the top 25 run-scorers this season.
CASEY-SOUTH MELBOURNE
Currently: 12th (3W 2D 4L, 18pts, 0.938rr)
Remaining fixtures: Footscray (A), Monash Tigers (A), Northcote (H), Greenvale Kangaroos (H), Ringwood (H), Melb University (A)
Leading run-scorer: Luke Wells 393 runs @ 65.5 (5th overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Josh Dowling 11 wickets @ 24.3 (41st overall)
Forecast: Scoring runs isn’t an issue for the Swans, taking wickets is and they’ll need a quick fix in the final six rounds to make finals. Casey sits seven points behind St Kilda in the finals race and faces a tricky run home with four matches against top-eight teams. Led by Luke Wells, the club is sixth in runs scored but 16th in wickets taken ahead of only Kingston Hawthorn and Greenvale Kangaroos.
DANDENONG
Currently: 14th (1OW 1W 1D 6L, 16pts, 0.999rr)
Remaining fixtures: Fitzroy Doncaster (A), Ringwood (H), Greenvale Kangaroos (A), Monash Tigers (A), Melbourne (H), St Kilda (H)
Leading run-scorer: Brett Forsyth 341 runs @ 34.1 (14th overall)
Leading wicket-taker: James Nanopoulos 27 wickets @ 14.2 (1st overall)
Forecast: It’s incredible that Dandenong sit 14th yet boast an outright win and possess Premier Cricket’s leading wicket-taker in James Nanopoulos. However, all is not lost. The Panthers sit just nine points outside the top-eight and face three bottom-10 teams as well as Ringwood (seventh) and St Kilda (eighth) in the run home. Dandenong sits last for runs scored, so the solution is theoretically simple.
ESSENDON
Currently: 5th (5W 3D 1L, 31pts, 1.936rr)
Remaining fixtures: Prahran (H), Melbourne (A), Geelong (H), Northcote (A), Camberwell Magpies (A), Monash Tigers (H)
Leading run-scorer: James Seymour 348 runs @ 49.7 (10th overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Liam Bowe 18 wickets @ 16.0 (7th overall)
Forecast: No team was harder hit by early season rain than Essendon but the Bombers are still well placed having lost just once before Christmas. After a history-making 2018-19 with the bat, the runs haven’t flowed as easily this season with only James Seymour (10th) and Michael Hill (29th) inside the top 50 run-scorers. The bowling attack has picked up the slack having claimed the second most wickets and conceded the fewest runs in the competition.
GEELONG
Currently: 10th (1OW 3W 1D 4L, 25pts, 1.017rr)
Remaining fixtures: Frankston Peninsula (A), Carlton (H), Essendon (A), St Kilda (H), Monash Tigers (A), Prahran (H)
Leading run-scorer: Eamonn Vines 345 runs @ 43.1 (11th overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Hayden Butterworth 16 wickets @ 19.6 (15th overall)
Forecast: The Cats might be sitting 10th after the Christmas break but remain premiership dark horses. The Cats are locked on 25 points with St Kilda and Prahran and host both finals rivals in Geelong in the run home. More run support behind Eamonn Vines is critical if Geelong are going to make another run to the Premier Cricket grand final, especially if the star opener is called up by Victoria in the back half of the summer.
FITZROY DONCASTER
Currently: 11th (4W 1D 4L, 23pts, 1.008rr)
Remaining fixtures: Dandenong (H), Kingston Hawthorn (H), Camberwell Magpies (A), Melb University (H), Footscray (A), Greenvale Kangaroos (A)
Leading run-scorer: Zach Elliott 409 runs @ 51.1 (4th overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Ejaaz Alavi 16 wickets @ 21.8 (19th overall)
Forecast: Just two points outside the top eight, the Lions will certainly fancy their chances of playing Premier Cricket finals with four matches against bottom-10 teams. The club is well placed with Zach Elliott enjoying a breakout season, the opener has 216 more First XI runs than last season in two fewer games, while Jack Rudd is also in the top-10 run-scorers. Fitzroy Doncaster also boasts four bowlers in the top 50 wicket-takers.
FOOTSCRAY
Currently: 6th (5W 2D 2L, 30pts, 1.262rr)
Remaining fixtures: Casey-South Melb (H), Melb University (A), Melbourne (H), Ringwood (A), Fitzroy Doncaster (H), Carlton (A)
Leading run-scorer: Daniel Sartori 331 runs @ 41.4 (15th overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Hamish Winter-Irving 13 wickets @ 27.6 (37th overall)
Forecast: The Dogs finished 2019 in style with three wins in their final four games, including a rousing win over Essendon. Now the real challenges start with blockbusters against top three teams Melbourne Uni, Melbourne and Carlton in the run home. Star batsman Daniel Sartori has thrived since crossing from Monash but bowling teams out has been a struggle this season. Footscray sit 13th in wickets taken.
FRANKSTON PENINSULA
Currently: 15th (2W 2D 5L, 12pts, 0.681rr)
Remaining fixtures: Geelong (H), Camberwell Magpies (A), Ringwood (H), Prahran (A), Greenvale Kangaroos (A), Melbourne (H)
Leading run-scorer: Chris Dew 308 runs @ 34.2 (24th overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Nick Boland 11 wickets @ 38.4 (45th overall)
Forecast: Frankston’s Premier Cricket finals drought looks set to stretch into a seventh season and will be hard pressed to better last season’s return of four wins. The Heat face home against finals contenders Geelong, Ringwood and Melbourne and must travel to Camberwell, Prahran and Greenvale. Chris Dew’s form with the bat has been a standout, the opener has smashed his previous best First XI season total in five fewer games than last season.
GREENVALE KANGAROOS
Currently: 16th (2W 7L, 10pts, 0.492rr)
Remaining fixtures: Melbourne (A), Prahran (A), Dandenong (H), Casey-South Melb (A), Frankston Peninsula (H), Fitzroy Doncaster (H)
Leading run-scorer: Kaushal Silva 412 runs @ 58.9 (3rd overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Sean McNicholl 16 wickets @ 28.5 (21st overall)
Forecast: The Kangaroos showed their potential when they defeated Northcote and Ringwood in Premier Cricket and Essendon in the Super Slam during a November purple patch but a home loss to bottom-placed Kingston Hawthorn will sting. Sri Lanka Test batsman Kaushal Silva has proved his talents, adapting to Australian conditions quickly, and amassing more than 400 runs despite missing the opening game.
KINGSTON HAWTHORN
Currently: 18th (1W 1D 5L 2OL, 6pts, 0.391rr)
Remaining fixtures: Carlton (A), Fitzroy Doncaster (A), Monash Tigers (H), Camberwell Magpies (H), St Kilda (A), Northcote (H)
Leading run-scorer: Ramneet Dhindsa 287 runs @ 28.7 (31st overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Jack Fowler 9 wickets @ 48.9 (61st overall)
Forecast: Kingston Hawthorn continues to build from the bottom and must be patient. A road win over Greenvale Kangaroos in Round 3 is a bright spot but two outright losses show there’s plenty of improvement needed. The club will hope for at least one more win after Christmas with a home clash against Monash its best bet. Batsman Ramneet Dhindsa looks on track for a career best First XI season.
MELBOURNE
Currently: 3rd (6W 1D 2L, 32pts, 1.590rr)
Remaining fixtures: Greenvale Kangaroos (H), Essendon (H), Footscray (A), Carlton (H), Dandenong (A), Frankston Peninsula (A)
Leading run-scorer: Blake Thomson 309 runs @ 44.1 (23rd overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Kieran Elliott 16 wickets @ 17.1 (14th overall)
Forecast: Good luck facing the Melbourne attack, Premier Cricket’s most prolific up to Christmas with 90 scalps. Taking Melbourne wickets has also proven extremely difficult, the Demons have lost just 54 this season, the second fewest. Yet, no one man has stood out the leading batsman is ranked 23rd and bowler 14th. All in all in adds up to a premiership contender.
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY
Currently: 1st (7W 2L, 36pts, 1.728rr)
Remaining fixtures: Ringwood (A), Footscray (H), Prahran (H), Fitzroy Doncaster (A), Northcote (A), Casey-South Melb (H)
Leading run-scorer: Andrej Yaksender 475 runs @ 79.2 (1st overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Steven Reid 17 wickets @ 19.9 (11th overall)
Forecast: University couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season and look certain to play finals for the first time since 2014-15. Avoiding early-season washouts could prove crucial and a relatively soft run home might see the club earn home field advantage in the finals. Andrej Yaksender has been a revelation this season while Alex Gregory and Fergus McKenna are both ranked in the top 15 run-scorers.
MONASH TIGERS
Currently: 17th (1W 1D 6L 1OL, 8pts, 0.608rr)
Remaining fixtures: St Kilda (A), Casey-South Melb (H), Kingston Hawthorn (A), Dandenong (H), Geelong (H), Essendon (A)
Leading run-scorer: Marcus Berryman 162 runs at 23.1 (73rd overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Marcus Berryman 17 wickets @ 16.2 (8th overall)
Forecast: A drop was to be expected with several big names departing during the off-season but there have been positives. Jack Fraser-McGurk made stunning half-centuries on debut at both Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup level. Marcus Berryman’s form with the ball has been outstanding but even he would not have expected to be the club’s leading run-scorer at Christmas.
NORTHCOTE
Currently: 4th (1OW 4W 1D 3L, 32pts, 1.091rr)
Remaining fixtures: Camberwell Magpies (H), St Kilda (A), Casey-South Melb (A), Essendon (H), Melb University (H), Kingston Hawthorn (A)
Leading run-scorer: Josh Sundberg 383 runs @ 38.3 (6th overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Sam Harbinson 19 wickets @ 22.0 (5th overall)
Forecast: The Dragons have arguably been the surprise packet of the season, matching last season’s five wins before Christmas – including an outright over Monash. Northcote will now look to cement its place in the top eight and return to Premier Cricket finals for the first time since 2016-17 with three matches against bottom-10 teams while testing its finals credentials against Essendon and Melbourne University – both at Bill Lawry Oval.
PRAHRAN
Currently: 9th (4W 2D 2L 1OL, 25pts, 1.037rr)
Remaining fixtures: Essendon (A), Greenvale Kangaroos (H), Melb University (A), Frankston Peninsula (H), Carlton (H), Geelong (A)
Leading run-scorer: James Billington 456 runs @ 50.7 (2nd overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Sam Grimwade 16 wickets @ 20.5 (17th overall)
Forecast: The Two Blues finished 2019 on a low – an outright loss to Ringwood – and have arguably the toughest run home in Premier Cricket, facing Essendon, Melbourne Uni and Carlton as well as last season’s grand finalist Geelong. The final-round clash against the Cats in Geelong looms as a mini elimination final. Positively, Prahran has been extremely hard to score against this season, conceding just 1512 runs, the second fewest in the competition.
RINGWOOD
Currently: 7th (1OW 3W 2D 3L, 29pts, 1.671rr)
Remaining fixtures: Melb University (H), Dandenong (A), Frankston Peninsula (A), Footscray (H), Casey-South Melb (A), Camberwell Magpies (H)
Leading run-scorer: David King 344 runs @ 38.2 (12th overall)
Leading wicket-taker: David King 19 wickets @ 10.6 (4th overall)
Forecast: Fair to say Ringwood relies on David King? The star all-rounder is in Jack Ryder Medal-winning form this season and has the back-up needed for the Rams to remain in the top eight and break a three-year finals drought. Tom Rogers and Jackson Freeman are both ranked in the top 25 run-scorers while Matthew Fotia sits ninth among wicket-takers. Plays four teams outside the top-eight in the run home.
ST KILDA
Currently: 8th (5W 1D 3L, 25pts, 1.066rr)
Remaining fixtures: Monash Tigers (H), Northcote (H), Carlton (A), Geelong (A), Kingston Hawthorn (H), Dandenong (A)
Leading run-scorer: Jon Merlo 285 runs @ 40.7 (32nd overall)
Leading wicket-taker: Todd Murphy 17 wickets @ 22.0 (12th overall)
Forecast: The Saints will be confident of making it three straight seasons of Premier Cricket finals. St Kilda faces trips to Carlton and Geelong but host strugglers Monash Tigers and Kingston Hawthorn in the run home. Sounds simple to say but more runs will be the critical. Leading run-scorer Jon Merlo is ranked 32nd and the Saints are 16th overall in runs scored.