FOUR-TUNE FAVORS THE BRAVE

It was a big decision to bat first on a wicket that still had juice in it from a week's rain, but Fourths skipper Manu Singh was brave and made the right call.
Moonee Valley had shared the points with Melbourne City during the season, but it was winner-take-all with the Grand Final on March 28.
We had the advantage of a home Grand Final at Ormond Park, and there were plenty of teammates on hand to cheer the Fourths on.
Moonee Valley posted 117 to be all out off the second ball of the 45th and final over, and we were quietly confident that runs on the board on a difficult track would be worth their weight in gold. If we could get some early breakthroughs and keep the pressure on, surely things would fall into place.
Incidentally, 117 was the target which our Thirds had been set in their Grand Final the previous day - a mark which proved a bridge too far.
But on their Grand Final day, the Fourths were up to the challenge.

The Premiers with their medals. L-R. Back - Manu Singh, Paul Bannister, Tom Morrissy, Sunny Singh, Andreas Skiotis, Sam Carbone, Mick Bannister and Sam Coventry-Poole. Front: Pavan Menugonda, Dominic Rettino, Jay Patel, Prashant Hirani and Ben Skok.
There was a bit of unease as Melbourne City got to 2/30, then Jay Patel bowled their No. 3.
Paul Bannister took a superb catch off Sunny Singh to have Melbourne at 6/55 then Pavan Menugonda bowled a double-wicket maiden to have the score 8/55, with the highlight being an incredible leg-side catch from keeper Dom Rettino.
The innings was wrapped up for 74 a further eight overs in, and the Premiership was ours - the first flag for a Moonee Valley Fourths team since 1984/85.
***For more photos from the victory, click HERE  
***And here's our detailed match report