Our highest honors at Presentation Night

Channa DeSilva and Mark Cini were afforded Moonee Valley Cricket Club's highest honors at our Presentation Night on April 18 - Channa won the Lindsay Jones Best Clubman award, and Mark was elevated to Life Membership.

Matt Thomas, who has been at Moonee Valley since Under 12s, won the Club Championship award for the second successive year, and Sean O'Kane's stellar season, which culminated in the Sixths Premiership, netted the Moonee Valley Award.

At right: Badges of honor - Club Champion Matt Thomas (left) and Lindsay Jones Best Clubman Channa DeSilva.

Around 60 players and partners attended the event, at the Moonee Ponds Club.

The Lindsay Jones Award and Life Membership are the two greatest honors which can be bestowed at our Club, and both Mark and Channa are worthy and deserving recipients.

Channa started pre-season late because he wasn't certain with his level of commitment or even if he was going to play, but ended up taking a crucial role in junior development, answering the call when needed in our top grades, and playing a crucial role in the Second Eleven Premiership.

Mark has been a stalwart of our Club for 200 games, and was acknowledged by Fourths captain Allan Cumming as his crucial right-hand man in marshalling the team into the finals this season.

"Junior" was inducted into the Life Membership Club by fellow Life Member Sandro Capocchi, and was joined at the front of the room by the other Life Members in attendance.

At left: New Life Member Mark Cini (right) with his mentor and fellow Life Member Joe Ansaldo.

He particularly acknowledged Joe Ansaldo for persisting with getting him to come to Moonee Valley and continue playing.

A visibly shocked Channa acknowledged his love of Moonee Valley and his belief in a strong future built on some of the younger players rapidly gaining senior experience.

He was warmly acknowledged by everyone in the room when his honor was announced by Club President Charlie Walker.

Channa and Mark, we salute you!

****Watch this space for more photos and details from Presentation Night.

It's a Grand Old Flag - and we brought it home to Moonee Valley!

Moonee Valley's Sixth Eleven capped off an unbeaten season when they won the Ralph Barron Shield grand final in the North West Metropolitan Cricket Association on March 14/15.

And six members of the victorious team were at the NWMCA presentation night on April 10 to collect it.

At right: (L-R) Dean Jukic, Dean Lawson, Sean O'Kane, Brett Curran, Kevin Gardiner and Paul Hobbs were at the function at Melrose Receptions, along with Club president Charlie Walker.

Moonee Valley's Sixths swept all before us for the season, and the domination didn't end with collecting the flag.

Kevin Gardiner won the grade bowling award and Sean O'Kane won the batting award.

At left: Batting maestro Sean O'Kane (far left) and bowling supremo Kevin Gardiner with their competition trophies.

And Charlie Walker also received a special presentation - the first of the night - for his work assisting the NWMCA Board in key areas such as the rules and bylaws.

While the Sixths swept all before them and the players got their reward and recognition at the Association presentation night, we had to dig deep and win the moments that mattered on the way to the flag.

There were a few tense moments across the March 14/15 Grand Final, but we prevailed over West Coburg, winning by 54 runs. Our 263 on Day 1, on the back of a magnificent 104 from Sean O'Kane and 59 from Paul Edwards, proved a bridge too far for West Coburg.

Magnificent bowling spells from Peter O'Kane - 25 overs on the trot for 2/85 and captain Mark Gauci - 21 overs in a row for 3/50 - put the choke hold on the opposition, then Sean O'Kane came in at the end with 4/18 to wrap up the Premiership.

It was a wonderful return for Brett Curran, Paul Hobbs and Dean Lawson among a group of parents who came together to Moonee Valley in 2006/07 to play, and  have done everything the club has asked of them.

Along the way they've gathered in some other committed parents and players and over the nine years have been our most consistent team, missing finals only once in that time. Now they've got their reward, and well done to the Mighty Fighting Sixths. You deserve it!

Right: It's a Grand Old Flag - celebrating the Sixths Premiership are L-R Sam Carbone, Peter and Sean O'Kane, Kevin Gardiner and Paul Hobbs.

For more pictures and words, click HERE.

SECONDS BEST - AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE MEAN!

Champions and Premiers - that's the mantle for Moonee Valley's Second Eleven from season 2014/15.

After going through the regular season undefeated, the team skippered by Jim Polonidis had to dig deep in both finals - withstanding a late charge from Flemington in the semi, and then turning a heavy first innings loss against Maribyrnong Park/St Marys in the Grand Final into a reverse outright and a Premiership.

It was Seconds Best - and certainly not second-best!

It's a credit to the guys that they managed such a herculean turnaround across the four days of the VTCA North B2 Grand Final, played at home at Ormond Park on March 14/15 and 21/22. From 73 all out in the first dig to 9/343 declared in the second, the Valley Boys showed what tough cricket is all about.

When Maribyrnong's last wicket fell around 5pm on the final day, caught keeper Peter Golding off the bowling of coach Rex Bennett, the Valley joy was unrestrained.

The players on the field embraced, and the big contingent of Valley supporters on the boundary also leapt with joy and emotion. It's a Grand Old Flag.

Above right: Matchwinning batsman Channa DeSilva waves a stump to the crowd, as the triumphant team comes off with umpire Brian Lazzaro, led by coach Rex Bennett and keeper Peter Golding on the left.

*****For more photos and a match report from the Premiership, CLICK HERE.

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 Main Club contact details:

* Charlie Walker - President 0409 237 543; 9370 1802
* Adam Patchell - Club Secretary 0407 552 141 
* Peter Golding - Club Treasurer 0419 009 721
* Simon Thornton - Vice President 0417 570 779
* Kevin Gardiner - Junior Co-ordinator 0417 536 896

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 22, 2015.

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