Over 60s play cricket in Oz
Two Dannevirke Cricketers Bruce Hooper-Smith and Gordon Kuggeleijn represented NZ in Over Sixties Cricket in in Adelaide during early November.
A NZ squad of 25 players, two managers and 11 supporters attended the recent Veterans Cricket Australia National Championships for Over 60s, held in Adelaide from 2 to 7 November.
NZ entered two teams and competed in divisions one and three of the four-division tournament.
This was the first time a NZ team was eligible to compete in division one, having won the division two title in 2018. Each division was split into two sections of four. The four teams in each section played a roundrobin on the first three days, the two section winners then playing off in the final on the fourth day.
In division one, the NZ1 team, captained by John Cushen (Otago), found the going much more challenging than last year, winning just one of their first three games, then losing the fifth/sixth place play-off on the last day.
(Bruce like the rest of his team mates found the top level tough but enjoyed the experience keeping wickets.)
NZ2, captained by Garry Webb (Northern Districts), was far more successful, winning their first three matches and qualifying for the final for the second year running. A close loss to NSW in last year’s final was turned around this year, with the Kiwis beating Victoria by two wickets and earning promotion to division two for the 2020 tournament.
NZ2 opening batsmen Rod Smith (Auckland) and Gordon Kuggeleijn (Central Districts) got their side off to great starts, running well between the wickets and scoring at a good rate. They shared partnerships of; 73, 76, 9 and 58. Smith scored 121 runs at 60.5 and Kuggeleijn 145 at 72.5.
On Friday a NZ side of seven players who played for NZ1 throughout the week and five of those who’d been part of the winning NZ2 team, took on the touring England Seniors in a rain-affected limited overs match.
While the tourists were ‘kept in check’ early, they accelerated towards the end of their innings and recorded 202 for three from 40 overs. NZ were given a sound start by Smith and Kuggeleijn, 22 for the first wicket, but lost wickets regularly from then on to be 95 for 8 after 32 overs.
NZ finished their 40 overs on 141 for 9, losing by 61 runs.