AFTER a break over the Christmas and New Year period, the Victorian Premier Cricket League Men’s is back for the 2022 year. With the competition well and truly in the midst of a close season, each week will carry a fair amount of significance moving forward. Round 7 will see the landscape of the top eight likely change given how close the standings are currently. With a number of sides in contention for a spot in the top half of the ladder, expect this to be a hard-fought round.

The first match of the round will see Carlton Blues play host to the Camberwell Magpies when the two sides face off at Princes Park on Saturday. Carlton will be looking to make amends for their shock loss to the bottom-placed Greenvale Kangaroos last round, in a result that saw them slip to second spot on the ladder. They will be looking to put themselves back on the winners list this week, but should not be taking their opponent for granted. However, they have shown in the past that they deserve to be held in high regard. The Magpies were held to just 59 runs in their loss last week, so this should be their number one area of concern heading into this week. If they cannot post a significantly higher total, they may struggle to keep themselves in this contest.

The next match of Round 7 sees Ringwood Rams travel to Shepley Oval to take on Dandenong Panthers in what should be an interesting clash on Saturday. The two sides currently hold the same record from their five matches played so far this season, and are only separated by percentage. Ringwood are sitting nicely inside the top eight, occupying seventh spot thanks to their strong two wins from the season. However, Dandenong will be looking to use this match as an opportunity to potentially sneak inside the top half of the ladder.

Moving over to Walter Galt Reserve, the next contest of the round will see Kingston Hawthorn Hawks welcome Melbourne Demons when the two sides do battle on Saturday. Melbourne have enjoyed a healthy start to their season, winning four of their five matches which is good enough to see them sitting in fifth spot on the ladder (but basically equal second, separated by percentage). They will see this match as certainly winnable, but Kingston Hawthorn will be looking to cause an upset in front of their home crowd, despite securing just one win so far this season.

Following up this match on the agenda, fans at University Main Oval should be treated to a cracking contest, when Melbourne University Students and Frankston Peninsula Heat face off on Saturday. The two sides are enjoying contrasting seasons, with their records reflecting this. Melbourne University a record of four wins and one loss, while their opponents stand with one win and four losses. It will be interesting to see if Melbourne University can cope with the pressure of expectation, or will Frankston Peninsula deliver a season-defining win and shock the home crowd with a massive boilover?

Next on the schedule for the weekend, the Greenvale Kangaroos will welcome Fitzroy Doncaster Lions to Greenvale Reserve on Saturday as they look to back up last week’s mighty effort. The Kangaroos shocked the competition last round when they took down the ladder leaders in Carlton to claim their maiden win of the 2021/22 season. They will be looking to replicate this effort this week, and will be hopeful of their chances of posting yet another match-winning total. Their opponents have won two of their five games this season, and were only able to muster 111 runs last outing, an area that must be addressed this time around.

Heading over to Toorak Park, Northcote Dragons will be looking to strengthen their standings when they take on Prahran True Blues on Saturday. Northcote currently sit in third spot, having lost just one of their first five matches to start the season, and are just one win behind the first-placed St Kilda. Every match has high stakes in this position, so expect them to come out aggressive as they look to climb the ladder. In their way is Prahran, who have lost three of their first five games, but have shown promising signs to start the year. However, they will need to be more defensive with ball in hand, given they allowed their Round 6 opponents to score a whopping 325 runs.

The next match of the round will see Richmond Tigers host Footscray Bulldogs in a cross-town clash when the two sides go head-to-head at Central Reserve North on Saturday. Richmond will enter this match as underdogs, given the performance of the two teams to start the season, but a home ground advantage may have an effect on the result. They will need to improve on last round’s performance, given they were well and truly bested by Fitzroy Doncaster. Footscray are bundled in the group of sides who have won four of their first five matches this season, and will be looking to jump ahead of the pack with a win here.

The penultimate match of the round will take place at Casey Fields, where Casey-South Melbourne Swans will welcome Essendon Bombers when the two sides lock horns on Saturday. There is just one win separating the two sides, with Casey-South Melbourne having won two of their opening matches, while Essendon have succeeded in just the one so far, demonstrating how close the competition is. The home side is just holding onto a spot inside the top eight, but their opponents will be eager to climb the ladder themselves.

The final match of Round 7 sees Geelong Cats head up to Harry Trott Oval, where they will take on the top of the table St Kilda on Saturday. Geelong have won two of their first five matches, and are looking for a way to break into the top eight. This could happen by the end of Round 7, but they face the toughest task in the competition at the moment, given St Kilda have not lost a game so far. The home side will be full of confidence and looking to keep themselves at the head of the table, so expect them to come out with plenty of motivation.