James Smith

hits a hot 100

Congratulations to James Smith for his second century for Moonee Valley - scoring an even 100 not out for the Fifths at home on December 21.
James patiently waited to pick off the bad balls from Pascoe Vale Hadfield as he accumulated his milestone but sadly it wasn't quite enough to get us over the line.
At left: James Smith raises his bat in the Ormond Park changerooms after his unbeaten century for the Fifths.
James scored his other century in 2021/22, with 105 not out against Maccabi Ajax in our Fourths, playing on turf in Mercantile's C Sunday grade.
He scored 522 runs that season @ 52.2, including a game when he was promoted to our First Eleven, and won the Mercantile grade batting award.
James joined Moonee Valley in 2020/21 and brought up his 50th game earlier this season.
Before the weekend's match James had scored 368 runs at an imposing average of 73.6, with three scores in the 80s - two of them not-outs. With his weekend ton, James now has 468 runs with an average soaring to 93.6.
He is also more than handy with the ball, as his seven wickets @ 26.4 before Saturday's game attests. That's now 35 wickets in his career.
James can now put up his feet over the Christmas break, but we will be looking forward to a productive second half of the season and plenty more runs.