Kate Withers
Cricketers across Gippsland are padding up in preparation for the inaugural season of the region’s over-50’s cricket competition.
Veteran’s Cricket Victoria Gippsland representative Andrew O’Hoy said there was a demand for the introduction of a localised over-50’s league given the proliferation of veterans’ cricket across Victoria.
“There are over-50’s competitions but they all involve travelling to Melbourne,” O’Hoy said.
“We started up an over-50’s team at Leongatha last year and … the plan was to play in Melbourne, but we thought it was a natural progression to see if we could try and get one started in Gippsland.”
The inaugural 2019/20 season of the Over 50’s Veterans Cricket Competition in Gippsland will kick-off in mid-October and O’Hoy said there had already been a groundswell of support from prospective teams and players.
“We’ve got about four or five teams that are playing and others that have expressed interest,” he said.
“We’ve got Leongatha, Traralgon West, Traralgon and Sale and Iona and Toora/Yarram are looking like they want to get sides up too.
“Ideally we’d like to have six teams so we can each play each other twice over 10 rounds, but in the first year it’s really all just about getting it started.”
Matches will be played as one-dayers of 40 overs per innings with batsmen required to retire on 40 runs and bowlers limited to eight overs each.
Games will be played fortnightly on Sundays.
“As you get older the body needs a bit more of a break,” O’Hoy said.
“It’s not so much about being the most dominant, it’s more the social side of things and we have barbecues and a drink after the game as well, so it’s more about that.
“A lot of ex-players are coming back wanting to get involved in this competition and then they go back to their old clubs and get involved there too, so it’s a really good thing.”
Teams or players interested in taking part in the Gippsland over-50’s competition can attend an information session on Sunday, June 28 from 2pm.
For more information, phone Andrew O’Hoy on 0421 046 294, email andrewover50s@gmail.com or visit Gippsland Over 50s Veterans Cricket Victoria on Facebook.
