Our Mick takes a trick: Life Membership for Mickster

Moonee Valley's much-loved Michael "Mickster" Cumbo was rewarded with Life Membership at the MVCC annual presentation night on April 22.
Mickster had been counting down all year as he notched up the games leading up to the 200-match qualification, and he celebrated long and hard when he reached that milestone.
Mick is now on 201 games, and shows no sign of letting up on his love for cricket and for Moonee Valley.
His parents were on hand to see the honor bestowed on Mickster, who becomes our 26th Life Member.
At left: Michael Cumbo proudly wears his Life Member badge and holds the memento plaque celebrating his honor.
As fellow Life Member Jim Polonidis said in speaking to the honor, few have been as deserving of the honor.
Simon Thornton was awarded Moonee Valley's highest honor, the Lindsay Jones Award for Best Clubman. After joining our Club in 2009/10 "fresh off the boat" from Yorkshire, Simon was elected Vice President the following season.
He has since been tireless in promoting Moonee Valley "back home", and with key money-making activities such as running the bar and clothing shop and ensuring memberships are paid when they fall due.
Chanaka Silva was a clear winner of the Club Champion Award, while Liam Shaw was a runaway in the Moonee Valley Award - based on points for runs, wickets and catches in all grades other than the First Eleven.
A surprise winner of the Bendigo Bank Most Improved Player Award was Jesse  Felle, who took all before him this season.
The award is determined by the Coach. As Lou Raffaele pointed out, in his earlier days Jesse was quite a handful. But the maturity  he has shown over the past couple of seasons has reaped its rewards as Jesse has established himself as a legitimate turf player with bat and ball, and a proven matchwinner moving up the grades.

OUR POLLY MAKES THE

 VTCA SUPER TEAM

Moonee Valley's First Eleven opening bowler Chris Pollock was at the VTCA presentation night on April 21 to receive a trophy after being selected in the Team of the Year.

Chris had a sensational season spearheading the team to the top of the North A ladder, taking 30 wickets at 14.2.

He wasn't alone in the North A Team of the Year, with teammate Chanaka Silva also selected for his season's haul of 29 wickets at 12.93 and 378 runs at 27.0.

At right: Chris Pollock with his Team of the Year trophy.

The team is selected in batting order by the captains of all teams in the grade, with the only criteria being a captain is not allowed to select anyone from their own club.

While chuffed to be selected in the best team of the grade, Chris wasn't too sure about the batting order - which had him coming in last. And Chanaka seemed to be batting a bit low at No. 7, considering the great work he did for Moonee Valley this season coming in at No. 5. 

Chanaka, one of our two Sri Lankan First Class players this season, joins his fellow import Nadeera Thuppahi - who was selected in the previous year's Team of the Year.

Past Moonee Valley player Amit Chaudhary, now with Haig Fawkner, was selected in the North West Division Team of the Year.



                              

OUR LIAM DOES US


PROUD

Moonee Valley’s Liam Shaw topped off a stellar season when he took out the competition batting award for the grade where our Sixths play.

Liam took out the Girolami Shield trophy at the North West Metropolitan Cricket Association awards on April 7 with 502 runs (pre finals) at 71.75.

Liam’s season stats were even better – he played a game in the Fifths in the week before his usual team resumed from its Christmas break, and scored 128 not out – the first of a run of three consecutive centuries.

At left: Liam Shaw's name is up in lights as he receives his batting award from Carlton Football Club media manager Ian Coutts.

Counting the finals, Liam’s season tally was 791 runs at an average of 79.1 – just 15 runs short of Neil Henderson’s season high 806, which has stood the test of time since he compiled it in our first-ever season in 1971/72.

Liam could so easily have topped the record other than  having been cruelly given out caught on 72 in the Grand Final in what to most observers was a bump ball.

He showed his all-round talents during the season, also taking eight wickets with his sharp pace, including 4/14 opening the bowling in the preliminary final.

He shared the keeping duties with Dominic Rettino, for five catches and a stumping behind the stumps and another seven catches in the field.

That included a haul of five in one match – three in the field and two as keeper.

Sixths captain Paddy Shelton and teammates Justin Trowell, Samuel Fontana, Shane Chalmers and Charlie Walker were with Liam when he was presented with the trophy.

The team finished third on the ladder, with a blistering run after Christmas on the back of Liam's form, and won the Semi and Preliminary finals with ease before falling short in the Grand Final. 


At right: The Sixths celebrate Liam's award: L-R Shane Chalmers, Liam Shaw, Justin Trowell, Paddy Shelton and Samuel Fontana.


                                         

 
Valiant effort by the

Mighty Thirds

Moonee Valley's Thirds came up short in their Grand Final match against Reds, but it doesn't disguise what a great season they had - particularly in the run home after Christmas.
The Valley boys proved they were able to match it with the other contenders, as we grabbed fourth spot on the ladder and then won two finals against higher-placed sides as we won through to the March 25 Grand Final.
Left: The team: L-R: Back - Luke Brock, Jacob de Niese, Dean Jukic with Izzy, Jesse Felle, Ed Rayner, Ben Thomas, Matt Esmore and Paul Bannister. Front - Peter Golding, Clyde D'Cruz, Geoff Shiell and Alex Davidson.
But it wasn't to be, and we conceded a few too many runs, particularly in the middle and later overs, as Reds ran up a competitive total.
Moonee Valley, under the astute captaincy of Ed Rayner, got a couple of promising partnerships going, but we couldn't sustain them as the pressure mounted.
Reds 7/193cc def Moonee Valley 160. Best efforts: Matt Esmore 2/27, Jesse Felle 2/51, Alex Davidson 39, Jesse Felle 25, Dean Jukic 23.
                                                 

Main Club contact details:

* Charlie Walker - President 0409 237 543; 9370 1802
* Peter Golding - Club Treasurer 0419 009 721
* Simon Thornton - Vice President 0417 570 779
* Peter Pickering - Junior Co-ordinator 0414 800 145  pjp@vicbar.com.au 
* Channa DeSilva - Director of Junior Cricket 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: April 26, 2017.
For more of our history, including our Premierships, click HERE

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