Vale Val Holten

Holten began his Premier career at Melbourne in 1946-47 but, after two seasons and 14 matches, he crossed to Prahran prior to the 1948-49 season.

He headed the VCA batting averages in his first season at Prahran and, five seasons later, topped the VCA batting aggregates with 669 runs at 47.78.

In all, he played 96 matches in his eight seasons with Prahran, including the 1954-55 premiership.

In his 110 Premier matches, Holten scored 3728 runs at 37.65, with 8 centuries and 13 half-centuries and also took 109 wickets at 19.72 with best figures of 5-29.

He played five first class matches for Victoria between 1950-51 and 1952-53, scoring 170 runs at 21.25.

His top score was 59* against Queensland at the MCG in 1952-53.

In 1956-57, Holten joined Sub-District club Malvern and he later played at Oakleigh.

He established all sorts of batting records in the sub-district competition, scoring 8916 runs at 58.6 with 19 centuries and 50 half-centuries.

Recently, the Victorian Sub District Cricket Association Executive honoured Holten by renaming the Hatch Medal the “Val Holten Medal”.

Cricket Victoria extends its deepest sympathies to the Holten family.