Our 2013/14 Annual General Meeting
Moonee Valley Cricket Club has welcomed two new members to the committee, following our Annual General Meeting on Monday, July 7.
Adam Patchell and James Holt were elected to the committee, while treasurer Stephen Tassos did not seek re-election.
Charlie Walker was re-elected president for his seventh year.
Peter Golding vacated the secretary role to become treasurer, and Adam Patchell took on Peter's old job.
Our Committee is:
President Charlie Walker (right)
Vice President Simon Thornton
Secretary Adam Patchell
Treasurer Peter Golding
Junior Co-ordinator Kevin Gardiner
General committee members Matt Thomas, Jesse Nankivell-Sandor, Allan Cumming, Jacob de Niese, Mark Gauci, James Holt.

The meeting, held at the Moonee Ponds Club - one of our major sponsors - was attended by 21 members.
The treasurer advised we recorded a small deficit for the season's trading, but the committee has already taken steps to address the causes of the shortfall.
The reappointment of Rex Bennett as coach was announced to members at the start of May, while the reappointment of Matt Thomas as First Eleven captain was announced at the AGM.
The meeting ran from 7.15 to 8.45pm as members availed themselves of the opportunity to ask questions of our performance and offer advice on the Club going forward - particularly with discussion on some of the trends and outcomes of the recent surveys of members we have done electronically.
Our thanks go to Peter Golding for his excellent production and presentation of the annual report, which can be viewed HERE.
 

Moonee Valley's Words of Wisdom Wisden

Here's the long-awaited 2013/14 Moonee Valley Wisden, chock full of stats and information from the just-completed season and harking back to our distant past.
As always, there's hours of reading and stats to pore over.
Some of the questions you'll have answered are:
     *Who's the captain of our Wisden Team of the Year?
     *Who's the opening bowling attack in our Wisden Team of the Year?
     *Who scored most runs over the season?
     *What are our new all-time best partnerships?
     *Who's played our most combined senior/junior games?
There's 102 pages of reading and you'll find out all about the season that was - including the Sixths Premiership.
The 2013/14 Junior Wisden is in the final stages of production, and will be posted on the website shortly.
We should have printed copies of the Senior Wisden available to hand out at the Annual General Meeting on July 7.
*To see the 2013/14 Wisden, click HERE 

* To see the 2013/14 Junior Wisden, click HERE

 Our Holty gets his day in court

 Moonee Valley's James Holt was booked for an appearance in the old Gisborne Courthouse on May 24, and duly turned up to face the Beak - or in this case, the Preacher.
While most people who front court come away with a sentence, in this case Holty copped it sweet - his sweet new wife Katrina.
The old courthouse was the venue for their wedding, and a host of Moonee Valley teammates and their partners were on hand to help James and Katrina celebrate.
Congratulations James and Katrina, from all of us at the Valley!
Pictured here celebrating are L-R Matt Thomas, Darren Nagle, Sean O'Kane, Ben Thomas, John Talone (front), James Holt, Jim McKenzie (back), Dean Jukic and Mark Gauci.
For more pictures, click HERE.

A WET WELCOME TO THE WINTER SEASON OPENER

 Moonee Valley had a wet welcome to winter when our Mid Year Cricket Association season opened on May 3.
We notched up 9/185 from our 35 overs in the match against Northern Lions A, but had a few rain interruptions when it came out turn to bowl.
After one particularly heavy downpour, stumps were drawn with Northern Lions delicately poised on 6/140 with 10 overs to go.
Under the MYCA rules, we finish the game on the reserve day - Saturday, May 17.
We fared better with our second game, on May 10. We played it at our home ground, Fairbairn Park No. 8 oval in Ascot Vale.
Moonee Valley rattled up 135 and looked to be in a bit of strife when Northern Lions A got to 2/96 at the drinks break.
But the Valleys were reinvigorated by the break, and proceeded to rip through the Lions to the tune of 8/19 to have them all out 20 runs short.
Congratulations to our captain, Michael Ozbun for his first win in charge of a team.
Given that Ozzie had not played cricket until the 2012/13 season, it's been an incredible journey.
For someone who grew up on baseball in his native United States, he's really taken to our game, and is arguably the best fielder at Moonee Valley, with an unerring rocket arm that regularly throws down the stumps leaving batsmen well short of their ground.

Above: The Valley team which braved the elements for the 2014 season opener. Back: L-R Ben Thomas,
Gaurav Malhotra, Kern Kapoor, Neil King, Mark Gauci, Anthony Cafari and Craig Pridham. Front: Bede
Gannon, Sam Carbone, Matt Thomas and skipper Michael Ozbun.

Rex is reappointed as our coach
The Moonee Valley Cricket Club is pleased to announce that Rex Bennett has been reappointed as our senior coach for the 2014/15 season.
Our bylaws require our coach position to be advertised each season. 
That process confirmed to the Committee that Rex was the outstanding candidate, and his reappointment was confirmed on April 30. 
The process also gave us the opportunity to dissect the 2013/14 season with Rex and to plan together how we will progress in 2014/15. 
Both Rex and the Committee had views on areas that could be improved, and we are confident that implementation of some of these initiatives will hold us in good stead in the year ahead.
Our negotiations for the return of our Pakistani internationals Khalid Hassan and Nasir Ahmed for next season are also well advanced.
We will also welcome back Kris Garland next season, along with a couple of outstanding young English prospects.

Our congratulations to Sean and Mark

Sean O'Kane and Mark Gauci were afforded Moonee Valley Cricket Club's highest honors at our Presentation Night on April 12 - Sean won the Lindsay Jones Best Clubman award, and Mark was elevated to Life Membership.
They are the two greatest honors which can be bestowed at our Club, and both were worthy and deserving recipients.
Mark Gauci told of things to come almost 10 years ago when asked about his future: "I love the game and the club I play for. I will play 200 games or more - trust me!" How true!
Along the way he captained the First Eleven for eight  years, including our 2009/10 Premiership, has served on the committee, brought in valuable sponsorship, done many tasks around our Club which go unnoticed by many, and been a real leader.
He was inducted into the Life Membership Club by fellow Life Members Darren Nagle and John Talone, who as President and Secretary at the time had faith in Mark's leadership and appointed him Firsts captain.
Another eight Life Members joined Spud and Odie on stage for the induction, and another Past President, Sandro Capocchi, pinned his Life Membership medallion to his chest.
The Lindsay Jones Award for Sean O'Kane was announced by Vice President Simon Thornton.
Simon spoke of Sean's cricket prowess as a First Eleven Premiership player, five-time centurion and sweep of the Fourths awards, but concentrated on his wonderful contibution as a clubman.
Sean organised and funded the Moonee Valley entry in January this year in the Over 35s tournament in his home town of Barooga, arranged the accommodation and purchased the playing shirts for the guys.
He opened his home for the year for our UK import Kris Garland - at no cost to the Club.
Sean is a genuine all-round nice guy who hasn't lost his country way of doing things, and is a deserving winner.
Mark and Sean, we salute you!
Above: Two Great Clubmen: Sean O'Kane (left) with his Lindsay Jones Best Clubman shield, and Mark Gauci with his Life Membership plaque.

*****Click HERE for more photos and words from the Presentation Night.

 Main Club contact details:

Charlie Walker - President 0409 237 543; 9370 1802
Peter Golding - Club Secretary 0419 009 721
Simon Thornton - Vice President 0417 570 779

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: July 9, 2014.

For more of our history, including our Premierships, click HERE