We're on the Chand Band-wagon

We’re on the Chand Band-wagon

Moonee Valley Cricket Club has appointed top-line player Vikash Chand as our coach for the 2006/07 season.

Vik, 29, a past District/Premier cricketer who has also played at the top levels in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association, is a frontline fast bowler who will also strengthen the attack in our First Eleven.

And it’s not as though he’s unknown to Moonee Valley, either.Vik played more than half the games for Moonee Valley in our Mid-Week Turf Competition team last season, and Moonee Valley wistfully remembers him for his role in 2001/02 in hijacking our bid to win back-to-back First Eleven premierships, when he played for East Coburg.

Club president Sandro Capocchi welcomed the appointment, and said the combination of Vik with his bowling along with our star batting import Arosha Perera from Sri Lanka would provide a solid platform to build our First Eleven around.

Vik’s fast bowling will give Moonee Valley extra firepower.

In 2002/03, playing for East Coburg in the Moreland-Moonee Valley A Turf comp, he took 32 wickets at an average of 11.47. In 2004/05, playing for Keilor in the Senior Division of the VTCA, he took 14 wickets at 19.79.

And last year, playing for Albion in the North A1 Division of the VTCA, his return was 31 wickets at 14.1.

Vik said he was looking forward to coaching Moonee Valley – and would not just be concentrating on the top side.

He said he completed the Level 1 coaching accreditation course last year, which gave him more of an understanding of the running of a cricket club.

“Cricket has been like a way of life for me, playing cricket all these years,” Vik said.

“Coaching will enable me to use my experience to give something back to the game. My aim with such a big club as Moonee Valley is to take them to a Grand Final in a number of grades.”

A team led by Vik won last year’s Willowfest – a cricket carnival at Mildura held from Boxing Day each year, featuring many Premier cricketers and others from the top grades. He hopes to entice some of Moonee Valley’s better players to be part of his Willowfest team this year.

Through his contacts in the top grades of cricket, Vik is also called on to train with and bowl to the West Indian Test cricketers whenever they’re in Melbourne while touring Australia.

Vik played his District/Premier cricket with Carlton and Northcote.

Vik takes over the Moonee Valley coaching role from Tony Gleeson, who did not seek reappointment. Tony stepped in to coach Moonee Valley for the second half of the 2005/06 season, after Tony Marasco resigned mid-term.

Anyone interested in joining Moonee Valley this season or wanting more information can ring Vik on 0417312421.

To learn more of Vik's career, click here.

20/7/06