Debut derby a nail-biter

Debut derby a nail-biting finish

Members of Moonee Valley's Fourths and Fifths get together back at Ormond Park after their historic derby match. L-R: Charlie Walker, Steven Bonfa, Daniel Ayers, Allan Cumming, Shaun Rayment, James Clarke, Joe Ansaldo, Michael Cumbo, Jesse Nankivell-Sandor, Matt Cheligoy, Kevin Gardiner, John Casagranda, Shaun Arnup and Alex Johnson. Front: Joel Costigan, Tony Gleeson and Phill King.


History was created this season when Moonee Valley had two sides playing off in the same grade – and the derby produced a real nail-biter.

Moonee Valley Black – predominantly our emerging Under-18 talent – beat Moonee Valley White – our traditional Fourths – by just three runs.

The Blacks passed the Whites’ score of 159 with nine wickets down, and the final wicket fell to end the game just two balls later.

It doesn’t get any closer than that!

With the Moonee Valley Cricket Club’s expansion to seven Saturday teams, we had too many sides for the available grades in the Moreland-Moonee Valley Cricket Association for the 2005/06 season.

We had the option of doubling up with two teams in one of the one-day grades, but the Club wisely opted to field two teams in C Mats – as two-day cricket is where our up-and-coming stars of the future will best develop their skills.

And so we took to the field in Round 5, on November 12 and 19, for the derby at Fairbairn 8.

The teams in batting order were: White: John Casagranda, Michael Cumbo, Daniel Ayers, Tony Gleeson, Alex Johnson, James Clarke, Allan Cumming, Joe Ansaldo, captain Shaun Arnup, Tony Villani and Shaun Rayment. Black: Joshua Maginness, Matt Cheligoy, Steve Bonfa, Nick Kritharidis, Liam Brown, captain Kevin Gardiner, Joel Costigan, Jesse Nankivell-Sandor, Bede Gannon, Phill King and Charlie Walker.

The Whites won the toss and John and Michael batted steadily, before losing two wickets at 40. After slumping to 5/67, James Clarke and Allan Cumming put on a bit of a revival until Allan fell at 6/105. James then steered the innings to a respectable position with the help of Tony Villani, before falling just short of his 50. Final score 159.

The Blacks batted out the day’s remaining overs to be 0/25 at stumps.

On the second day, the target was always beckoning and threatening, with the Blacks losing wickets whenever it seemed they were getting on top. Joshua Maginness with 28 and Steve Bonfa with 26 put up steady performances, but things looked decidedly shaky when the ninth wicket fell with Liam Brown batting well and six runs still to get.

Liam and Charlie pushed the target down to two before Charlie’s lofted drive over mid-wicket reached the boundary. A single off the next ball, and then Tony Gleeson bowled Liam Brown for 27 with his next delivery, and the game had gone down to the wire for a narrow win to the Blacks.

In a season when Moonee Valley fielded seven senior Saturday teams for the first time, it was another highlight for our Club.

Club legend and Life Member Gary Irons recalls one other occasion when Moonee Valley had two teams play each other for points.

'GI' recalls playing in a match at Royal Park in the early 80s, between the Seconds and the Thirds, when Moonee Valley was still in what was then the Essendon, Broadmeadows & Keilor Cricket Association.

Some other notables from the game include Greg Meyers, Mick Intagliata and Marty Egan.


Scorecard from the 2005/06 Derby:

Moonee Valley White

J. Casagranda                                        b N. Kritharidis                         24

M. Cumbo                                              b J. Nankivell-Sandor                17

D. Ayers                  c K. Gardiner             b J. Nankivell-Sandor                 0

T. Gleeson                                             b S. Bonfa                                14

A.Johnson                                              b N. Kritharidis                           2

J. Clarke                                                b N. Kritharidis                          47

A. Cumming                                           b M. Cheligoy                           14

J. Ansaldo               c B. Gannon              b M. Cheligoy                             6

S. Arnup                 c J. Maginness           b M. Cheligoy                             4

T. Villani                                not out                                                    17

S. Rayment            run out (J. Maginness/N. Kritharidis)                             0

Extras                                                                                                  14

TOTAL                                                                                                159

FOW:   1-40 (M. Cumbo), 2-40 (D. Ayers), 3-42 (J. Casagranda), 4-44 (A. Johnson), 5-67 (T. Gleeson), 6-105 (A. Cumming), 7-115 (J. Ansaldo), 8-121 (S. Arnup), 9-159 (J. Clarke), 10-159 (S. Rayment).

Bowling: J. Nankivell-Sandor 19 overs, 2/38; N. Kritharidis 17.3 3/39; M. Cheligoy 9 3/29; S. Bonfa 3 1/14; B. Gannon 6 0/13; J. Maginness 3 0/9; K. Gardiner 6 0/12.

Moonee Valley Black

J. Maginness              st A. Cumming        b J. Ansaldo                             28

M. Cheligoy                run out A. Johnson                                                17

S. Bonfa                     c A. Cumming        b J. Ansaldo                             26

N. Kritharidis               c T. Villani              b J. Ansaldo                             12

L. Brown                                                 b T. Gleeson                             27

J. Nankivell-Sandor      c A. Johnson          b T. Villani                                3

J. Costigan                                             b T. Villani                                2

B. Gannon                  c&b                       b T. Gleeson                             7

P. King                                                   b T. Gleeson                             0

K. Gardiner                                             b T. Villani                                11

C. Walker                   not out                                                                  7

Extras                                                                                                   23

TOTAL                                                                                                 163

Bowling: S. Arnup 8 overs, 0/14; J. Casagranda 8 0/20; T. Gleeson 19 3/35; M. Cumbo 4 0/15; J. Ansaldo 14 3/29; D.Ayers 7 0/17; T. Villani 10 3/29.