Ex-sportspeople often feel the itch of desire to return to their chosen sport after retirement.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
![Driven: Tamworth's cricketers are still giving it their all even throughout their 50s. Photo: Samantha Newsam. Driven: Tamworth's cricketers are still giving it their all even throughout their 50s. Photo: Samantha Newsam.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ijfQKXbsEKgSKGW5xB5NiF/22404d22-8a00-40e2-a61e-c0057f59e861.jpg/r703_148_2695_1450_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
This Sunday, former local cricketers will have the chance to roll their arms over and pad up once again during Tamworth Veterans Cricket's recruitment drive.
From 10am at Riverside 2, two teams in the Over 50s division will play what is effectively a trial game, TVC president Greg Kellett said.
"We had this ground booked to play against Coffs Harbour in the Doug Walters Cup," Kellett said.
"But they couldn't make it, so we decided to keep it and see if there's new blood and whether we could play two teams in the 50s division."
After the inception of the Over 50s side roughly three years ago, a number of the players are on the verge of aging out of the division, which will leave the remaining list quite thin.
This weekend's fixture is intended both to draw interested players into veterans cricket and assess the skill level of those trying out.
It will also give the players a chance to become acquainted with former opponents they more than likely have played against in grade cricket but never socialised with.
A common refrain heard from those who have given up cricket is that their bodies are no longer up to the task. But veterans cricket often makes exceptions for such players, Kellett said.
"A lot of blokes say 'I can't run, I can't do this or that', and I say 'You should see us running around'," he said.
"A lot of us cant move like we used to, but a number of the 50s are still quite quick. It's very different game to grade cricket."
The standard in veterans cricket, particularly in the 50s and 55s divisions, is still quite competitive.
A number of the players in the Tamworth teams are state and, in some cases, national representatives.
"We've got four guys going to the State of Origin," Kellett said.
"That's a big deal, especially in the 50s and 55s because they only select two sides, whereas in the older ones they pick four, so they're really elite."
Though the players will be trialling for the Over 50s division, Kellett said anybody over 48 is welcome to attend.
Anybody interested in taking part in Sunday's recruitment drive can come along to Riverside 2 from 9.30am and ask for Greg Kellett.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark northerndailyleader.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News