Country Round 2010

PREMIER CRICKET'S COUNTRY ROUND

Premier Cricket's "Country Round" continues to be an annual feature of the Kookaburra Premier Cricket Program. Clubs, players, umpires and VCCL host Associations all enjoy the sojourn to regional Victoria. Country matches never feature on the tour itineraries of international teams any more and, as a result, Cricket Victoria sees the Country Round concept as crucial in maintaining the excellent relationship that exists between Premier Clubs and country areas. Cricket Victoria hopes that, by delivering a high standard of cricket to regional areas, this relationship will be maintained and enhanced.

Bushrangers players will unfortunately be unable to play in the Country Round as they will be heavily involved in the KFC Big Bash series during this period.

2009-10 is the twelfth successive season that Cricket Victoria's Premier Clubs have taken a round of matches to country Victoria. Hosting a match for the first time this season will be Euroa and the Bill O'Callaghan Oval at Wangaratta, the third venue in Wang to host a game. This brings to 51 the number of venues around Victoria which have now been used since the first match at Bendigo in January 1994.

Country Victoria has played a huge part in cricket in this state. Current Bushrangers' skipper Cameron White (Bairnsdale), Test player Peter Siddle (Morwell), Aiden Blizzard (Shepparton), Andrew McDonald (Albury) and many other great players over the years come from regional areas.

Some of the host associations have rescheduled their local cricket to the Sunday. This will hopefully provide local players, umpires and officials with the opportunity to have a good look at the Premier matches.As a further step towards supporting cricket regionally, Cricket Victoria has also appointed appropriately qualified and accredited local umpires to officiate in most of the matches along with a senior CV panel member.

LAST CHANCE IN THE ONE-DAYERS

Round 11 is the last of the season's preliminary rounds in the one-day series and "crunch-time" for teams in all grades. Semi Finals for all grades will be played on Sunday 24 January and the Finals on Sunday 7 February.

MELBOURNE has continued to display its authority in the one-day format, winning all six of its games. The Demons are yet to earn a point from their four two-day matches but, not surprisingly, sit atop the One-Day ladders and are already assured of a home semi final regardless of the outcome of its Round 11 clash with GEELONG. PRAHRAN is in second spot and a win over the Kangaroos virtually assures it of the other home semi final. Even a loss may still see them qualify.

RINGWOOD sits third on the One-Day ladder, but the wheels on the Rams' wagon have definitely developed the wobbles. They have lost their last three matches and, from a lofty nine points clear on top of the season ladder, have now been pushed to second by the all-conquering Cats.

Other clubs still in the mix for a one-day semi final berth are ST KILDA, DANDENONG, FITZROY DONCASTER and CARLTON. GEELONG and ESSENDON can still make it in theory, but would need a lot of luck on their side.

KOOKABURRA PREMIER CRICKET

ROUND 11 - Saturday 9 January 2010
RICHMOND V DANDENONG at Leongatha
FOOTSCRAY EDGEWATER V ST KILDA at Eastern Oval, Ballarat
CAMBERWELLMAGPIES V CARLTON at Bill O'Callaghan Oval,Wangaratta
HAWTHORN-MONASH UNI V FRANKSTON PENINSULA at Memorial Oval, Euroa
FITZROY DONCASTER V MELBOURNE UNI at Mooroopna (For the Doug Rumble Cup)
ESSENDON V CASEY-SOUTH MELBOURNE at Princes Park, Maryborough
PRAHRAN V NORTH MELBOURNE at Wy Yung
RINGWOOD v NORTHCOTE at Lavington Sports Ground
*MELBOURNE v GEELONG at the MCG

Matches played at venues as detailed above. Hours of Play: 11am - 5.50pm. One-Day, 50 overs per side matches. 10-overs maximum per bowler, field restriction circles apply. Coloured clothing and white balls used.

* The Melbourne v Geelong match at the MCG is the only opportunity during 2009-10 to play a Kookaburra Premier match at the ground. Melbourne and Geelong have therefore been granted dispensation from their Country Round commitments for 2009-10.

KOOKABURRA T20 PREMIER CUP AWARDS

Premiers - Geelong $2,500
Runners-up - St Kilda $1,000
Kookaburra T20 Club Championship -
Geelong $1,500
Player of the Final - Aaron Finch (Geelong)
Player of the Series - Liam Buchanan (Geelong)

WOMEN'S PREMIER CRICKET

Women's Premier Firsts
Essteele Cup Twenty20 Round 5
Dandenong v EMP (Sat 9 Jan at 11am)
Brighton Dist v Bundoora Old Paradians (Sat 9 Jan at 11am)
Box Hill v Brunswick Park (Sun 10 Jan at 11am)

WOMEN'S PREMIER FIRSTS LADDER
(After Round 6)

	Points	Average
Brunswick Park	28	2.250
Dandenong	25	2.054
EMP	15	1.262
Box Hill	15	0.801
Brighton District	5	0.617
Bundoora OP	0	0.451

ESSTEELE CUP - TWENTY20
(After Round 4)

	Points	Average
EMP	8	3.844
Dandenong	4	1.850
Brunswick Park	4	1.177
Brighton District	4	0.729
Box Hill	2	0.560
Bundoora OP	2	0.373

WOMEN'S PREMIER SECONDS
Essteele Australia Round 13 (T20s)
Brown Hill v Coburg (Sat 9 Jan at 2.15pm)
Dandenong v EMP (Sat 9 Jan at 2.15pm)
Box Hill v Brunswick Park (Sun 10 Jan at 2.15pm)

WOMEN'S PREMIER SECONDS LADDER - ESSTEELE AUSTRALIS CUP
(After Round 12)

	Points	Average
EMP	39	1.587
Brown Hill	35	1.836
Brunswick Park	31	1.016
Dandenong	25	1.190
Box Hill	18	0.595
Coburg	9	0.493

MILESTONES

Congratulations to the following players, umpires and scorers who have achieved, or are about to achieve, notable milestones: MORE

PHOTO QUIZ

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DOWNLOADS

CV 1st XI Matches at Country Venues (48.70 KB )	A Look Back (89.79 KB )
Leading Players & Performances (94.81 KB )	Ladders (57.67 KB )
Memorable Matches (62.57 KB )	Stars in the Country (44.01 KB )