Practice makes perfect in Barooga

Practice makes perfect in Barooga for the

Valleys

Moonee Valley sent a strong team to Barooga for our practice match on September 24, and came away with a solid win.
Barooga, on the Murray in NSW, has hosted Moonee Valley teams for the last three Januarys in its Over 35s tournament, and this time invited our top grade players up for a pre-season hit-out on turf.
Our thanks to Barooga Cricket Club for organising and hosting the match, and to Valleys player Sean O'Kane for getting us the invitation to his home town and boyhood cricket club.
We played on the immaculate Barooga No. 2 oval, and the Valleys guys have already nominated it as the best ground they'll play on all  year. The ground is not used for winter sport, and the turf wicket was top notch.
Our victorious team: L-R Rear - Chanaka Silva, Dan Comande, Matt Esmore, Channa DeSilva, Matt Thomas, Jack Newman, Jake De Niese, Nate Wolland and Jordon McDonald. Front - Chris Pollock and Alex Davidson.
Moonee Valley batted first, and compiled 6/135 from our 40 overs.
Best performances were Nadeera Thuppahi 52, Matt Thomas, 20, Jack Newman a quickfire 17 despite being hampered by a bruised knee sustained in the match, and Chanaka Silva with 16.
Barooga was quickly in trouble at 3/3, with just one run off the bat, with our opening bowlers Chris Pollock and Nate Wolland both striking early.
Chanaka Silva bowled an immaculate line for 0/14 off eight overs, and Alex Davidson showed great discipline with the ball to take 1/4 off 4.
Jordon McDonald broke Barooga's back with two wickets in two balls, and Chris Pollock completed the team hat-trick with the first ball of the next over to have the home side 8/86 in the 32nd over.
Barooga lost its last wicket at 115 with one ball to go.
Our ground fielding was excellent on the bowling-green like outfield, with Jordon McDonald standing out with some excellent saves.
However, coach Lou Raffaele will have some work to do with catching, after a number of chances were put down.

Above left: Nadeera Thuppahi limbers up from a knee strain.