The right app-Roach

New Valleys batsman David Roach made the greatest-ever debut for Moonee Valley when he slammed 164 off the First Eleven Avondale Heights attack in the opening round of the season.

David, who previously played and led the Tullamarine and St Albans clubs, is only the third Moonee Valley player to hit a century on debut, and the first since 1991.

Our previous debut centurions were also both in the First Eleven - Warwick Nolan with 127 in 1981 and Bill Loughron in 1991.

Avondale Heights had approached Round 1 with a fair bit of confidence, given that it had been a grand finallist in the A North grade last season, and we were newly-promoted from B North.

But our bowlers put them to the sword and bundled them out for 66 after Avondale won the toss and elected to bat. With David Roach as one of our opening spearheads, we amassed 3/320 in reply to get a massive boost in bonus points.

As well as Roachie, Raj Aiyappan hit 46 in an opening stand of 128, well supported by Arosha Perera (51) and hard-hitting Sean O'Kane, who made 48 off about four overs with his customary cow-corner sixes.