Our T20 challenge

The Moonee Valley cricketers took on the Moonee Valley footballers on December 18 in what we plan to be an annual Twenty20 challenge.
The footballers batted first and posted a stiff target, and our cricketers fell just short in posting 9/231.
The game was played on the Ormond Park turf.
Moonee Valley Cricket's team was drawn from across the grades, including a healthy complement from our Fifths plus young Under 14 player Zac Nilsson, who had made his senior debut in the Sevenths just weeks earlier.
At right: Our T20 challenge team: L-R. Back - Jarrad Sims, Jack Newman, Channa DeSilva, Luke Brock, Joshua Gorry, Anthony Cafari, Paddy Shelton and Justin Trowell. Front - Charles Bibby, Matt Thomas, Zac Nilsson and Manu Poulose.
The Footballers included several players who had come through our junior cricket program - Sam O'Brien, Paddy White and James Saragias.
*****FOR A PHOTO OF THE FULL TEAMS, CLICK HERE

 

AL'S CAREER IS COMING OF AGE

Moonee Valley's Allan Cumming has capped off his two-decade career at Moonee Valley by reaching his 200th game, and there are plenty more to come. 
The popular wicketkeeper has done most things around our club - he has captained turf and hard-wicket teams, and one and two-day grades, and celebrated his milestone by playing with son Morgan - the main reason Al embarked on his Moonee Valley career.
At left: 200-game player Allan Cumming with son Morgan. 
Morgan began his juniors at Moonee Valley in 2000, and soon after Allan got the bug and signed on as a player. 
He played his milestone match at home on December 7 in the Sixths. 
Also alongside him was club legend/Life Member and past president Darren "Spud" Nagle, who conscripted Allan and threw him a set of whites the moment he indicated he was half interested in a game. He had two other Life Members with him in the team - skipper Danny Terzini and Peter Smith. 
Allan has long been a key contributor to the running of our club, and has been a committee member since 2012/13. He's also a regular in our Barooga Over 35s teams each January, and was part of the team which won the tournament in 2019.
Allan, congratulations on a wonderful cricket career, and it's by no means over.
****** For a picture of Al's milestone team, click HERE   



Valley family comes together 

The Moonee Valley Cricket Club family showed its true colors when it came together in the new pavilion on November 24 for a fundraiser.
Well over 100 people gathered in the pavilion for an afternoon of fun and festivities to support Tien Polonidis, while the Fourths and the Sevenths took to the field on adjoining grounds. 
At right: Tien (left) and husband Jim enjoy the afternoon with some of their friends. 
Many of the gathering and players were wearing pink MVCC caps, curator Ian “Spider” Beel painted the boundary lines in pink and both games were played with pink stumps.
The fundraiser was to help raise some money for medical bills for Tien, a 46-game player at Moonee Valley and wife of Life member Jim Polonidis. 
The Fourths game was umpired (at his request) by past MVCC coach Lou Raffaele, who also donated a number of items of sports memorabilia for a silent auction as part of the fundraiser.
The bar did brisk business under the control of Committee members Mark Gauci, Channa DeSilva and others, with the profits going to the fundraiser. 
The day was a reminder of why we’re a big family at Moonee Valley.
***More photos to come

Firsts hit the record books

Moonee Valley’s First Eleven broke a two-decade old record when they went on a run-fest against Bellbridge on November 16.  
At right: Our record-breaking team: L-R. Back - Shiwantha Kumara, Nadeera Thuppahi, Anthony Cafari, Nate Wolland, Joshua Gorry and Ben Thomas. Front - Sumit Anand, Sameera Vithana, Jack Newman, Dan Comande and Channa DeSilva. 
The score beat the previous highests First Eleven total of 439, set in 2000/01 against Haig Amateurs when we were still in the Moreland Moonee Valley Cricket Association turf competition. 
The team from way back then included club legend Ian Denny with an imperious 146, past Presidents Darren Nagle (13) and Sandro Capocchi (50), and current coach Tony Gleeson (a duck). 
We went on to win the MMVCA A Grade premiership in that season, so the current crop of First Eleven players have got something else to aim for. 
In setting the new record we were 3/155 at the tea break, but put the foot down as the Bellbridge bowlers tired and the wicket flattened, and took full toll. 
As well as Anthony’s 129, Sumit Anand made 69 in his first game in the Firsts, and Sameera Vithana 67. 
Coming in at No. 10, Shiwantha Kumara reached his 50 with a four off the last ball of the day. 
At the other end was Daniel Comande with 47no, while Joshua Gorry reached 47 in quick time when it came to his turn to bat. 
Bellbridge worked hard on day 2 of the match to reach 153 off 61 overs, with Sameera (4 wickets) and Shiwantha (3) getting amongst it.

Moonee Valley - get on board

Moonee Valley Cricket Club has seven senior teams and five junior teams for the 2019/20 season, and can still find places for new players.
If YOU want to be part of it, get on board now!
Coach Tony Gleeson is keen for players to be challenged, so there are plenty of opportunities for more new players to come on board and push for spots.
So anyone keen to come down to - or come back to - Moonee Valley should phone Tony Gleeson on0427 043 891, Vice President Mark Gauci on 0457 778 335 or President Charlie Walker on0411 705 381 . You can also email us at mooneev@club.cricketvictoria.com.au

     Main Club contact details:

* Charlie Walker - President/Secretary 0411 705 381; 9370 1802 
* Peter Golding - Treasurer 0419 009 721 
* Mark Gauci - Vice President 0457 778 335 
* Peter Pickering - Junior Co-ordinator 0414 800 145  pjp@vicbar.com.au   
* Channa DeSilva - Membership Co-ordinator 0402 833 592 

Email: mooneev@club.cricketvictoria.com.au 


For more contacts, see " Office bearers & Officials " under "Club News & Info" at the top of the page 

Last updated : December 25, 2019. 
For more of our history, including our Premierships, click HERE 


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