When in trouble – ring dad

Matt and Greg Hutchinson lined up in the same side for the first time in two decades on Saturday. 148164 Picture: RUSSELL BENNETT

By RUSSELL BENNETT

IT’S not uncommon for the Devon Meadows West Gippsland Cricket Association (WGCA) District side to turn to a Hutchinson when it’s in a bind.
But on Saturday, that Hutchinson wasn’t the Panthers’ player-coach Matt. Instead, it was his 59-year-old father Greg.
Devon Meadows had somewhat of a last-minute injury crisis with Dave Carson withdrawing on Thursday and Matt Clayton – his replacement – on Friday. Couple that with Daniel Steet being unavailable due to work commitments, and the Panthers had some spots to fill.
“I rang Dad to ask if he could fill in,” Matt, 33, said.
“I knew he was up to it, so that was easy enough … I just had to con him into saying yes.”
Greg hadn’t played for at least 15 years, and he and Matt hadn’t played together for 20.
When Matt was 13 the pair put on 137 in D Grade at Endeavour Hills. Greg is a former president there.
He fielded at mid-wicket for much of the day on Saturday as the Panthers dismissed Clyde for 128.
But with Devon Meadows resuming at a precarious 3/26 this week, he may still have a role to play with the willow.
Greg said he didn’t have anything planned for Saturday before Matt called him, but was quick to add “I didn’t plan on playing!”
The two spoke to the Gazette from a job site, ironically just a stone’s throw away from the oval in Clyde.
Greg was still feeling the after-effects of playing on Saturday, saying: “Put it this way – I’ve got a lot of respect for blokes over 60 who do this every week!”
Nathan Worsteling (1) and Mick Floyd (3) will resume for Devon Meadows this week.