VPC clubs Melbourne University and Northcote gave the Port Fairy pitch and outfit the thumbs up after their thrilling country round clash on Saturday.

The Dragons returned to the city with a breakthrough two-wicket win after limiting the Students to 193 and reaching the target with four balls to spare.

The match produced the third-most runs of the round, 390, behind clashes at Bendigo (417) and Maryborough (399).

Northcote coach David Reid said Dwyer deserved high praise for producing a wicket which offered something for pacemen, spinners and batsmen.

Reid said Students tweakers Fawad Ahmed and James Bett were able to get turn, but noted Dragon Marcus Stoinis kept them at bay en route to a century. “It was fantastic. The only disappointment was the curator couldn’t hang around after the game,” he said.

“A lot of people wanted to shake his hand and buy him a beer. He produced a cracker.

“We know how stressful it can be for local curators who want to leave a good impression of what they can do.

“It was unanimous across the board it was the best country round wicket any of the players had played on.”

Melbourne University coach Jarrod Leggett said Avery’s Paddock had the best pitch he had experienced in country Victoria.

“This is the eighth or ninth country round I’ve played and that’s the best wicket we’ve played on in that time,” he said.

“It’s probably close to the best wicket we’ve played on this year.

“It was a really good cricket wicket, offered a bit for the quicks, it spun, but as Stoinis showed, if you got yourself in you could make a big score.

“When we walked the track at the start of the day, we were excited by what we saw.”

Victorian Premier Cricket clubs and umpires rate the pitch and outfit after each round, on a scale from zero to four.

VPC co-ordinator Peter Binns said he had not received the captains’ reports by yesterday, but the umpires gave “four” ratings on both accounts.

“In the comments section they wrote: ‘The pitch and outfield were a credit to the curator’s work and effort’,” Binns said.

afawkes@fairfaxmedia.com.au