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Front Page - up to July 16, 2021

OUR CONGRATULATIONS TO MATT AND VANESSA THOMAS

Vanessa and Matt exchange vows with the preacher. Above: Moonee Valley cricketers past and present celebrating the wedding of Matt Thomas and Vanessa Riggio. L-R Sean O'Kane, Alan Thomas, Channa DeSilva, Joshua Maginness, Ben Thomas, Dean Jukic, Murray Walker, Anthony Riggio, Adele Walker, Jim Polonidis, Matt Thomas, Tien Polonidis, Brendan McKeegan, Mark Gauci, Charlie Walker, David Leece, Geoff McKeown, Jim McKenzie and Bede Gannon.

The Moonee Valley cricket family was out in full force for the wedding of Life Member Matt Thomas to his long-time sweetheart Vanessa Riggio on May 7.
No fewer than 17 current and former Valley cricketers joined in the nuptials with Matt and Vanessa at Mickleham - including eight fellow Life Members.
At right: Vanessa and Matt exchange vows with the preacher.
The gathering also represented 22 Valley premierships, 33 centuries and eight Lindsay Jones Best Clubman awards.
Matt and Vanessa had a couple of false starts to their married life together over the past year, thanks to the coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions on gatherings.
But it was all worthwhile in the end - and a wonderful ceremony and reception provided everyone the opportunity to celebrate with the couple.
Matt's a past First Eleven captain and former committee member - having been at Moonee Valley since the Under 12s.

***For more pictures from the wedding, click HERE

Ian Denny expands on what it means to be a member of the Moonee Valley Cricket Club.

Ian Denny wins the Lindsay Jones Award

The man who has won just about everything at Moonee Valley Cricket Club has now also captured our most prestigious award - Club legend Ian Denny was presented with the Lindsay Jones Best Clubman award at our 2020/21 Presentation on April 17.
Ian has won multiple Club Champion awards, batting and bowling awards and other honors, but was floored when Life Member John Talone announced the Lindsay Jones.
For good measure, Ian "Egbert" Denny also won the Sean O'Kane Award, for best player in all grades other than the Firsts.
At left: Ian Denny expands on what it means to be a member of the Moonee Valley Cricket Club.
We also invested four new Life Members at the night, held in our Ormond Park Pavilion.
Daniel Phillips, Jesse Nankivell-Sandor, Bede Gannon and Shaun Rayment have all reached the milestone after extended time at our Club.
Nadeera Thuppahi was Club Champion after his stellar season which netted 644 runs @ 64.4.
Sam Kater was voted Wicketkeeper of the Year, while flag-winning Tara Newman won the Coach's Award as Most Improved Player - starting the season off just wanting to field in a game and not have to bat or bowl, and finishing it with a Premiership medal around her neck.
***For more photos and details of award and milestone recipients, click HERE

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

Buy club clothing, pay your membership, buy tickets to club functions - do it all at www.mooneevalleycricketstore.com.au

Main Club contact details:

* Charlie Walker - President 0411 705 381; 9370 1802
* Peter Golding - Treasurer 0419 009 721
* Michael Ozbun - Secretary 0448 548 860
* Mark Gauci - Vice President 0457 778 335
* Peter Pickering - Junior Co-ordinator - mooneev@club.cricketvictoria.com.au

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 : May 31, 2021.
For more of our history, including our Premierships, click HERE