VALLEYS: WE DO OUR CHAMPIONS PROUD

More than 100 past and current players, supporters and family packed our Ormond Park pavilion on February 7 for our inaugural Hall of Fame dinner.
Past players came from far and wide as the Moonee Valley Cricket Club honored the contribution of Ian Denny, Kevin Gardiner, Mark Gauci and Darren Nagle.
At right: Inductee Darren Nagle (far right) responds in his interview by Life Member Sandro Capocchi.
Already among our 41 Life Members, they were elevated to the next level in recognition of their contributions to our club and history.
While all our Life Members have made significant contributions to our Club, the Hall of Fame recognition has been introduced  to honor involvement and lasting impact far above what anyone could expect.
A quick pen-picture of their contributions shows:
**Kevin Gardiner: 233 games, 269 wickets; two Premierships; seven bowling awards; 13 seasons on the committee; seven seasons as Junior Co-ordinator; Junior Coach multiple seasons, junior Blast program.
At right: Life Member Bill Nagel (left) makes a humorous reflection on the career of inductee Kevin Gardiner.
**Ian Denny: 371 games; 12,611 runs (club record); 664 wickets (club record); seven Premierships; 12 times a Wisden Player of the Year; 13 times Club Champion; 12 times winner First Eleven batting award; five times winner First Eleven bowling award.
**Darren Nagle: 357 games; 6660 runs; 454 wickets; eight Premierships (equal club record); 13 seasons Club President; three seasons Club Secretary; three times Women’s Team Premiership Coach; five bowling awards; six times a Wisden Player of the Year.
At right: Two rascals - Tony Gleeson (left) makes some telling remarks on the career of Mark Gauci.
**Mark Gauci: 423 games (to season start – a Club record); 9446 runs; 329 wickets; four Premierships – one as First Eleven Captain; six times a Wisden Player of the Year; eight seasons Club Vice President; Club Champion 2005/06; five batting awards.
Life Member Greg Peters was Master of Ceremonies for the night, and did us proud.
Each of the inductees was interviewed in a Q&A on the stage by a significant fellow member of the club who impacted their career - Kevin Gardiner by Bill Nagel, Mark Gauci by Tony Gleeson, Darren Nagle by Sandro Capocchi and Ian Denny by Greg Peters.
Membership of the Hall of Fame sits between Life Membership and the highest honor which can be bestowed by the Moonee Valley Cricket Club - Legend.
Our only Legend to date, club co-founder Ray Storey, was at the night, proud of what has become of the mighty club founded 56 years ago.
At left: What have I left loose? Greg Peters (left) asked Ian Denny a question on his career, and he's now in full flight.
Our thanks to the organisers of the event and the judging panel who selected the inaugural winners, led by John Talone, Ian Denny, Gary Irons and Charlie Walker.
It demonstrates what our proud Club is able to do to honor our champions both on and off the field.
The night also demonstrated the capacity of our past champions to continue to make a telling contribution - including interviewers Tony Gleeson, Sandro Capocchi, Greg Peters and Bill Nagel, whose insights into the inductees made for excellent Q&A sessions to really help bring out the history of our great Club. 
****More Photos - click HERE

A DOUBLE FIFTY


FOR SUDARSHAN

Congratulations to Sudarshan Devkota, who brought up his 50-wicket milestone for Moonee Valley on February 15 - just a month after notching his 50th game for our club.
Sudy has been with Moonee Valley since he walked in off the street in 2021/22, and while he lives out to the west and drives past multiple clubs to get here each week, he's stayed loyal.
He has been a mainstay in the Sunday Fourths this season, while also putting his hand up for an occasional double-up match in the Fifths.
Sudy brought up his 50th wicket in style in the home game against Brunswick, clean bowling the opening bat to break a 44-run partnership.
He then took the last three wickets in the space of two runs to wrap up the innings to finish with figures of 4/39.
At right: Sudarshan Devkota celebrates his 50th wicket with sons Swatit and Swakrit. 

Sudarshan's journey into cricket is via an unusual pathway, as he was born in Nepal - not regarded as a traditional cricket country.
But he enjoys his cricket, moreso as his two sons Swatit and Swakrit attend every game with him - sometimes watching Dad, but just as likely to be finding something to play on, to have an adventure in the park or to enjoy the afternoon teas.
The two boys are a welcome part of Moonee Valley - and are proud of their Dad.




   Our winning ways - our girls march on

             
Above: Moonee Valley's team in our big win over Gellibrand in Round 12: L-R Maddie Dutton Johnson, Emily Seery, Yasmin King, Fiona Bathie, coach Darren Nagle, Sandra Verschoor, scorer Charlie Walker, Siobhan Donohoe, Sarah
Fenn and Kylie Russo.
If there were any fears that the jump from a Division 3 Premiership into the top division was a bridge too far, the Moonee Valley women's team have dispelled them with ease.
With two rounds to go before the finals the team, captained by Sarah Fenn and coached by Darren Nagle, are undefeated at the top of the ladder.
Our latest win, on February 15, was a clinical dissection of Gellibrand, 1/101 to 6/94, and we still had seven overs in the tank.
The team has won four flags in the past five seasons. The great thing about the team is the spread of talent, with different players invariably stepping up to get the job done each game with both bat, ball and in the field.



SONS OF GUNS

The next generation is taking over Moonee Valley!
Our Under 14 team didn't make the finals, but in their last game for the season on February 13 they won outright. It was a great effort.
Xavier Manson and Logan Shrestha both made 50s to chase down the target of 117 in the second innings. It was Logan's first ever 50, and Xavier's second half-century, but first for MVCC.
At right: Young guns closing out the season: L-R Brad and Xavier Manson, and Logan Shrestha with dad Chand.
Xavier who is predominantly a wicket keeper had his first bowl of the season and took 2/10 off 4 overs and also took a catch and a stumping.
Logan is the son of Chand Shrestha, who has played in our Firsts but has spent most of this season in the Thirds in Sunday turf A Reserve.
Xavier is the son of Brad Manson, and both play together in the Moonee Valley Fifths - Xavier as our first-choice wicketkeeper.
They're not the only sons of guns to take the field at Moonee Valley this season: Geoff McKeown has played with sons Oscar and Oliver, Jason Walsh has played with sons Jordy and Riley, and Paul Sevenson has played with sons Jeremy and Luke.
Indika Perera and son Aksha have played together; Pat Taylor and son Nick have played in the Fifths and Women's team Premiership player Sandra Verschoor has played at Ormond Park on the adjoining ground to son Joshua Norsetter in the Thirds.

We win back the Webb-Johnson/Pascu Cup

The Moonee Valley Cricket Club has won back the Webb-Johnson/Pascu Cup, after falling short in the past two years.
We prevailed in a tight finish over the Moonee Ponds Cricket Club, who finished six short of our competitive total when they lost their last wicket.
The Cup was first contested in 2020/21 following the passing of Moonee Valley's Heath Webb-Johnson and Moonee Ponds' Gary Pascu, and both clubs saw the need to promote and highlight men's health.
It is a perpetual reminder of two loved and respected players and mates no longer with us.
Above: Our winning team! L-R. Back - Aksha Perera, Tom Janetzki, Krish Kanchan, Dejan Gilevski, Luke Brock and Jaspreet Bhatti. Front - Dan Fisher, Max Jones, Ben Tarran, Hayden Rayner and Brayden McGregor. At the front are Bree and Reid Webb-Johnson with the Cup.
The January 20 match was played at Aberfeldie Park as a Twenty20.
Heath's widow Lezanne and their children Reid and Bree attended the game.
We batted first after Moonee Ponds won the toss. Scores of 39 from Krish Kanchan and 32 from Brayden McGregor anchored our innings, which finished on 8/144.
At right: Krish Kanchan hits out in his innings top score of 39.
We had Moonee Ponds quickly on the back foot with two quick wickets to have them 2/3, then Dejan Gilevski picked up two wickets in one over to have them 4/44.
They consolidated and built their score  until the 19th over, when Brayden McGregor took three wickets and ran out their form batsman in the space of five balls. They needed 17 off the last over, but fell short when they lost their last wicket on 138.
A good crowd of Moonee Valley players and spectators cheered on the match alongside our Moonee Ponds counterparts, and we thank them for putting on a barbecue afterwards. Thanks also to accredited umpires Ron Pontague and Tarek Patel for donating their services. 
As the Cup holder, we will get to host next season's match.
****For more pictures, click HERE




OUR TOYOTA "GOOD FOR CRICKET" RAFFLE


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*CRICKET - COME PLAY AT THE VALLEY  

Moonee Valley Cricket Club is always keen to talk to potential new players for our Saturday and Sunday turf teams, our Saturday men's hard-wicket team, our Sunday women's team and junior teams at all levels.
Anyone interested in joining Moonee Valley can phone senior coach Brayden McGregor on 0429 559 797, junior co-ordinator Paul Sevenson on 0407 556 950 or President Charlie Walker on 0411 705 381. Anyone wanting information can also email us at [email protected]

Main Club contact details:

* Charlie Walker - President 0411 705 381; 9370 1802
* Allan Cumming - Treasurer 0438 380 990
* Sarah Fenn - Secretary 0438 141 179
* Mark Gauci - Vice President 0457 778 335 
* Paul Sevenson - Junior Co-ordinator - 0407 556 950   

Emails: [email protected]
        [email protected] 

For more contacts, see " Office bearers & Officials " under "Club News & Info" at the top of the page

Last updated : February 18, 2026.
For more of our history, including our Premierships, click HERE