OUR POLA - HE'S JIMPLY THE BEST

Moonee Valley Cricket Club legend Jim Polonidis joined rare and exalted company on January 28 when he became just the fifth player in our history to reach 350 games.
The milestone snuck up on us - we were expecting Jim to reach it in a fortnight as he was playing game 349 in the current round in the Seconds, but ever the clubman, he answered the call when the Thirds were short and doubled up the next day.
At right: The team which represented Moonee Valley for Jim Polonidis' 350th game: L-'R. Back - Dean Jukic, Chand Shrestha, Sam Carbone, Rhys McDonald, Jim Polonidis, Prashant Hirani, Mark Gauci, Amolak Singh Saini and Eddie Wadera. Front - Sagar Bhatia and Maks Rahman.
Jim joins Danny Terzini on 350 games, and there is only club royalty in front of him - Mark Gauci, Ian Denny and Darren Nagle.
Jim has made more than 4500 runs and sits second on our all-time wicket list with more than 460 scalps. A magnificently consistent bowler, it was fitting that Jim took the first wicket in his milestone match, played at home.
A miserly bowler, Jim has been named in our Wisden Team of the Year six times in the 16 years we have been selecting it.
Jim's late wife Tien was one of our women's team pioneers, playing 46 games. She passed away in 2021. Their daughter Lexi often accompanies Jim to Ormond Park for matches and functions.
*****For more pictures, click HERE . For Jonty's vision of the guard of honor, click HERE