Quarter Finals

VB FINALS ARE HERE

It seems like only a couple of months ago that the season got underway, but we have arrived at finals time in the blink of an eye and, for ten teams in each grade, the gear goes into mothballs for another six months.

St Kilda and Geelong are the only clubs with all four teams competing in finals. Carlton, Frankston Peninsula, Melbourne and Ringwood all have three sides still in it, while Casey-South Melbourne, Hawthorn-Monash Uni and North Melbourne are the only clubs without any finals representation.

ROUND 15

Highlights of Round 15 in the Firsts included:
• MELBOURNE continued its resurgence with a comprehensive win (in the end) over HAWTHORN-MONASH UNI to displace the Hawks and claim eighth spot. For the second season in a row, the Hawks were in the eight right up until the last day.
• RINGWOOD and CARLTON both lost, although they each retained their top-four position to host a Quarter Final.
• PRAHRAN knocked off CAMBERWELL  MAGPIES to qualify for its first finals appearance since 1992/93.
• GEELONG returned to the winners list with a timely win over the Blues.
• FRANKSTON PENINSULA finished sixth with a crushing win the Dragons. After winning just one match in the one-dayers, the Heat has racked upmore points  (40) than any other side in the two-dayers.
• ST KILDA knocked off the Kangaroos outright and head into a tenth straight finals campaign.
• FITZROY DONCASTER beat top side RINGWOOD to pop into second place.

Mobile phones were running hot at most Premier venues last Saturday. Tight matches at Doncaster, Footscray and, for much of the day, atMonash Uni  ensured that the placings in the eight were in doubt right until the end.

CASEY-SOUTHMELBOURNE had its best day of the season, winning its first game in the Firsts against DANDENONG. Although that wasn't enough to move from eighteenth spot on the ladder, wins also in the Seconds and Thirds meant that the Swans averted respective wooden spoons in those grades.

Andrew Kent (863 runs@50.76) and JamesMiller (42 wickets @ 17.02) respectively headed the batting and bowling aggregates after Round 15. Both are set to build on these totals, with the Demons and the Heat both contesting Quarter Finals next weekend.

CV CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP 

Congratulations to RINGWOOD, winner of the JA Seitz CV Club Championship for the first time since joining VCA ranks in 1974/75. The Rams' previous besRingwood CCt result was a second placing in 1995/96.

Ringwood tallied 533 points to win fromSt Kilda (497), Carlton (477), Geelong (466), Fitzroy Doncaster (457), Melbourne (442) and Frankston Peninsula (436). The Rams receive $6,000 for taking out the CV Club Championship, the Saints earn $4,000, the Blues $3,000, the Cats $2,000 and the Lions $1,000.

KENT TAKES OUT ULTIMATE PRIZE

Andrew Kent, Premier Cricket's leading run-scorer this season, has taken out the Casey Radio-Ultimate Player of the Season award. After the Round 15 voting, Hawks' all-rounder Roger Sillence polled one vote to finish in a three-way tie with Kent and the Bulldogs' Grant Lindsay, all on 14 votes. On a countback however, Kent (with 3 threes and 2 twos) pipped Sillence (3 threes and 1 two) and Lindsay (2 threes and 3 twos) to win the award. Carlton's Nathan Pilon, Essendon's Ben Fletcher and St Kilda's Gareth Cross finished just one vote behind on 13 votes.

Kent wins amagnificent Ultimate 4-burner barbecue, with roast hood and window, enamel trolley, wok burner and roast racks valued at $849.

JACK RYDER MEDAL

Voting for the Jack Ryder Medal concluded in Round 15 and the conjecture begins as to who may win. Which players polled in which games? How did theJ  umpires see it? The winner will be announced on Gala Awards function on Tuesday 31 March at Crown Palladium. Make sure you book your tickets
from your club'sAdministrationManager. Based on performances throughout the season and stats, the following may head the voting at each club:

 Camb Mag:Simon Hill  Carlton:Evan Gulbis 
 Casey-SM:Michael Hansen Dandenong:Brett Forsyth 
 Essendon:Craig Berger Fitz Donc:Peter Dickson 
 Foot Egde:Grant Lindsay  Frank Pen:James Miller 
 Geelong:Tom Elliott Haw-MU:Roger Sillence 
 Melbourne:Andrew Kent Melb Uni:Scott Sanders 
 North Melb:Peter Manser Northcote:Jarrod Carlson  
 Prahran:Steve Seymour Richmond:Andrew Fekete 
 Ringwood:Michael King St Kilda:Gareth Cross 

QUARTER FINALS - Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 March 2009

1sts
Ringwood v Melbourne at Jubilee Park, Ringwood
Fitzroy Doncaster v Geelong at Schramms Res #1, Doncaster
Carlton v Frankston Peninsula at Princes Park #1, Carlton
Prahran v St Kilda at Toorak Park, Prahran

2nds
Ringwood v Foots Edgewater at Merv Hughes Oval, Footscray
Melbourne v Frankston Pen at the Albert Ground
Camb Magpies v Geelong at Camberwell Sports Ground
St Kilda v Carlton at Shepley Oval, Dandenong

3rds
Camb Magpies v Foot-Edge atWatson Park, Ashburton
Essendon v Richmond atWindy Hill, Essendon
Northcote v St Kilda at Bill Lawry Oval, Northcote
Geelong v Fitz Doncaster at Geelong CG

4ths
St Kilda v Ringwood at Monash Uni main oval
Melbourne Uni v Dandenong at Melbourne University main oval
Frankston Pen v Geelong at AH Butler Oval, Frankston
Melbourne v Carlton at Princes Park #2, Carlton

Hours of Play (all XIs): 11am - 5.50pm. Playing Conditions as per Rule 20. In an uninterrupted match, the innings of the first batting team is restricted to 110 overs. A new ball is available after 80 overs in all grades.

KOOKABURRA AWARDS 

For all Kookaburra award winners up until Round 15 click HERE

PHOTO QUIZ

Who am I? MORE

DOWNLOADS

Ladders Ladders (67.26 KB ) Milestones Milestones (77.78 KB ) 
Leading Players Leading Players (87.42 KB ) Outstanding Performances Outstanding Performances (190.80 KB )
1st XI Debutants 1st XI Debutants (73.06 KB ) Memorable Matches Memorable Matches (86.47 KB ) 

Feedback Form