Over 60s are fairly fit

Right: Casey’s Rob Wilson was among the wickets with three for the game.Right: Casey’s Rob Wilson was among the wickets with three for the game.

By Gavin Staindl
THEY may not be the fittest cricketers going around, but the over 60s Cricket Association members have shown they can still swing a bat.
With only a handful of rounds remaining in the Victoria 0ver 60 Cricket Association season, the Casey over 60-year-olds have been narrowly defeated by Essendon in a high-scoring contest at the Narre North Rec Reserve.
Choosing to field first, Casey struggled to restrain the powerful Essendon attack as they raced past 50 without the loss of a wicket.
Casey’s Rob Wilson (3/21) came in towards the end of the innings as Essendon began to lash out and was able to restrict the visitors’ run rate but big scores by Ron Luckman (40) and Wayne Bevan (40) would mean Casey would have to chase a 40-over target of 184.
In reply, Casey never managed to form lasting partnerships and according to star bat John Scales the players who would normally score the runs failed to fire.
Eventually Casey was bowled out for 123 with Rob Wilson (40) and Phil Stephen (16) the best of the batsmen.
The Victorian Over 60 Cricket Association is in the midst of forming two divisions – one for social competition and one for points that will come into effect next season.
At the moment, the one grade competition is in its second year after the idea of 60-year-olds having their own competition was imported from England in 2008.