You are never too old for this beautiful game. Example one: Duncan Drew. The 47-year-old played four first-class games for Otago in 2001 and 2002.
The former wicketkeeper also had a stint as the Volts physio. He has stayed on top of his fitness, turning out for North Otago in the Hawke Cup and continuing to play club cricket.
On Saturday, he had a day to remember for the Union club.
He scored 100 and took six for 16 to lead his team to a 94-run win over St Kevin’s College.
But the poster boy for the golden years has to be John Cushen.
The 73-year-old emailed in to remind us all how good Jeff Wilson was at cricket following a piece from my colleague celebrating Goldie’s 50th birthday.
But he also provided a quick update on veterans’ cricket.
"Can you believe it, but Otago now takes two over-60s teams to the national tournaments each year ... a big difference from the days when we visited jails, retirement villages and hospitals trying to get just 11 players for a team.
"We now hope in 2025 to have an Otago side going to the over-70s nationals."
Very pleased you stop recruiting from prison, John.
Crease bound
It was very disheartening to learn CDK had defaulted their premier game against Green Island at the weekend.
Defaults are rare in the grade, so let’s hope it is an isolated case and not the beginning of more struggles for the club.
Clubbing it
Noted Waitakian and my boss Hayden Meikle has insisted the following be printed.
To be fair, it is worth a grudging line or two.
The Waitaki Boys’ year 9 team swept the three big Dunedin schools — John McGlashan, King’s and Otago Boys’ — to qualify for the NZC junior secondary school tournament in Palmerston North next year.
The one-run win over Otago Boys’ was, well, tense.
Waitaki Boys’ made 179 for seven.
Otago Boys’ needed five to win off the last over and had five wickets in hand.
They scored a run off the first but then they got the wobbles. They lost four wickets from the next five deliveries — three of them were run outs — and fell short. Cricket, eh!
And then this, from some bloke call Geoff, who made the Cricinfo coverage.
"In the last two years away from New Zealand, [Henry] Nicholls has averaged 14.77 with the bat with a high score of 30. Batting at No 11, Ajaz Patel has averaged 15.66 with a high score of 35."
