PATCHES WIN 

MATCHES

Adam Patchell made sure his 50th Moonee Valley game was a memorable one - by taking a  hat-trick!
Playing at home in the Fourths for the October 16 fixture, Patch and young Ethan Coombe had done the early damage to have South Yarra a shaky 5/50.
Patch then bowled their No. 3 bat and the Yarras advanced to 61 before Patch snared a plumb LBW with the final ball of his seventh over.
The Yarras advanced their score to 66 in the next over before our Patch was back on. His first ball was well caught by Mick Bannister at silly mid-off.
The hat-trick ball was full and fast, and the umpire had no problem in adjudicating it LBW when he ruled the batsman didn't play a shot. The incoming batsman avoided becoming the fourth wicket in a row when he kept out a yorker - but that was the only one he got bat to, as Patch rearranged the stumps next ball and South Yarra was all out for 66 in 27 overs, having lost its last four wickets for five runs.
Patch finished with an incredible 6/19 off 7.3 overs, while Ethan Coombe was equally impressive with 3/6 off six overs, including five maidens.
The hat-trick was Patch's first in half a lifetime of cricket, although he's been there often enough without nailing the third wicket.
Moonee Valley knocked over the South Yarra total five wickets down, to complete an emphatic win to help Patch celebrate his 50th game.
Adam Patchell's hat-trick was just the 21st by a Moonee Valley senior player in our 45-year history. The most recent hat-trick was from Peter O'Kane in the Thirds in 2013/14. 

**Pie Drive - it's on again. See details and order 

form in "Latest News" - in the right hand column

SENIOR TRAINING - TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS from5.15pm - Details - ph 0409 237 543

We've got you well covered at the Valleys

Moonee Valley got a set of new full-pitch covers in the off-season, to ensure that we are able to take full advantage of the excellent work done by our super-curator, Ian "Spider" Beel.
They came into play on the first round of the season.
The whole VTCA Round 1 on October 8 was called off when only 11 of the 74 grounds was ready - although Spider had Ormond Park up for the Seconds.

At right: First we've got to unpack them: The inaugural covers team (L-R) included Steve and Matt Esmore, Ben Skok, Eddie Rayner and Charlie Walker.
 
And Mercantile had 35 games abandoned and only seven right for play - and Spider's skills came to the fore to get Ormond Park up for a double-header for our Thirds and Fourths on the Sunday.
A crew of club members were on hand, led by Kevin Gardiner, to get the new covers down before the first weekend.
Many thanks to the volunteers, and also to the members who made a significant contribution to the purchas e- including Anthony Riggio and James Harris, with some dedicated tin-rattling and promotion by Channa DeSilva.
Thanks also to the VTCA for a $500 discount on the purchase price.

We'recheering on the Bulldogs at theValley


The legions of long-suffering Bulldogs supporters had their day when Moonee Valley held its annual Grand Final day at the Ormond Park clubrooms.

Valley players and supporters who had not been born when the Scraggers won their last flag in 1954 - or even when they played in their last Grand Final against the Mighty Hawthorn in 1961 - came together with a mixture of pride and trepidation when the Western Bulldogs challenged Sydney in the game that mattered.
At left: Bulldogs supporters (some of them real supporters) L-R Ben Thomas, Jesse Nankivell-Sandor and partner Nysaa, and Matt Thomas (Bulldog impostor). 

About 40 Valley players, supporters and family were together for the event, with a spit roast and salad, plenty of drinks and games for the kids - and of course a big screen TV to watch all the action.

Lifelong Footscray supporter Dean Jukic was at the clubrooms early to get the spit going and to give instruction on how to cook it, before heading off to the MCG for a "prior commitment".

Partner Agatha Soccio was at Ormond Park with the crowd, who were overwhelmingly Bulldog barrackers and cheered every goal, every defensive mark and every strong tackle, and groaned whenever Sydney gained the ascendancy.

At right: Real Bulldogs supporters - Ben Thomas (left) with Dean Jukic - who returned triumphant to the Valley after the game.

Club President Charlie Walker acknowledgedhow gracious the Mighty Hawthorn was, to step aside in the finals this year and allow two other clubs the chance of winning a premiership for a change. This time, it was the Western Bulldogs. Congratulations to all our Moonee Valley members and supporters who saw and lived the dream.

SEE THE PLANS! OUR NEW ROOMS SET TO

BECOME A

REALITY 

THANKS TO 

OUR 

COUNCIL 

REPS

The $2 million redevelopment and expansion of our Ormond Park pavilion has entered an exciting new phase, with the project plans signed off with the Moonee Valley Council.
Councillors Nicole Marshall and Jim Cusack had a final meeting at Ormond Park on September 22 with Moonee Valley cricket and football presidents Charlie Walker and Steve Radford to review the final plans.
Above: Looking over the signed-off plans in our Ormond Park clubrooms: L-R - Cricket Club President Charlie Walker, Moonee Valley Councillors Jim Cusack and Nicole Marshall, and Football Club President Steve Radford. 
Cr Marshall and Cr Cusack have been the driving force behind our redevelopment, since a first-hand inspection late last year showed how the old pavilion had passed its use-by date in terms of amenity and space.
“Our cricket and football clubs had been agitating and advocating for years about the inadequacies of our pavilion, but it wasn’t until Nicole Marshall and Jim Cusack took up the cause that things started to happen,” Charlie Walker said.
“We had been of the understanding that any works were still a number of years away, and were delighted that strong advocacy from Jim and Nicole was able to get our new pavilion promoted to a priority spot and turned into a reality in this year’s Council budget.
“They both understood what our clubs needed, and as a result the final plans include much-needed amenities such as a significantly expanded social area, an upstairs scorers/timekeepers box, a functional kitchen and plenty of storage space.
“I note that Cr Marshall and Cr Cusack are standing for re-election in our Myrnong Ward in this year’s Moonee Valley Council elections.
“They have played an integral role in progressing this exciting redevelopment of our pavilion, and on behalf of the Moonee Valley Cricket Club I am keen that they are able to see it through to the end.
“There is still a lot more to be done before construction starts and the finer detail of our new pavilion becomes a reality, and it is important that we continue to have a direct line into Council,” Charlie said.
Cr Marshall is a former cricketer, while Cr Cusack had a strong connection with our club as his son Kilian came through our juniors and into senior cricket.
Steve Radford also thanked the two councillors for their ongoing role in the project, and pointed out that the expanded change rooms, including facilities to enable women and girls to play sport, set a firm foundation for future growth in participation.
“This is an innovative redevelopment which sets up our clubs and our park for an exciting future, and I thank Jim Cusack and Nicole Marshall for taking the lead and piloting it through the Council,” Steve said.
Cr Cusack said the pavilion was one step in the overall strategy plan for Ormond Park, and he was keen to continue working with Cr Marshall and our clubs to see it develop and progress over the coming years.
***To see a more detailed version of the plan, click on this LINK.

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
* Leigh Holder - Joint Junior Co-ordinator 0423 226 532allleigh@bigpond.net.au 
* Peter Pickering - Joint Junior Co-ordinator 0414 800 145pjp@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: October 14, 2016.

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