When Tim Kensell was in his mid-30s, he decided that his commitments needed a reshuffle.
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As so often happens, personal responsibilities piled up for the Tamworth resident. And, as a result, he elected to step away from cricket after the 2016/17 season.
"I'd played for West Tamworth for a long time," Kensell said.
"And then life gets in the way with a few things. Kids and family take priority."
At the time, the Wests captain believed his retirement would be permanent.
He was content with his decision, and focused on his burgeoning family and his work.
"Cricket was done. Maybe once my kids grew up a bit more and decided they wanted to play cricket, maybe I'd play with them," Kensell said.
"Overall, I was thinking that I wasn't going to play, to be honest."
But as time passed and his kids grew up, Kensell found himself with some spare time on weekends. And he had missed the camaraderie that comes with being a part of a team.
There was, however, just one problem.
As of the 2022/23 season, Wests no longer had a first grade side. So, instead, Kensell reached out to an long-time friend at Old Boys.
"Ben Middlebrook and I have been pretty close friends over a number of years," he said.
"It made it quite easy [to join them] with him being there."
The 41-year-old made a tentative return last year, and played just six games scattered throughout the season.
In those half-a-dozen outings, Kensell rediscovered his passion for the game, and he was eager to play regularly in 2023/24.
Although there is one significant difference in this portion of his playing career.
"I bowled in a few games and realised I probably shouldn't be doing that anymore," the former allrounder said.
While he is yet to compile a big innings this year, a batting average of 27 so far is proof that Kensell has not lost his touch.
And the veteran knows that Old Boys will need everyone to contribute this Saturday, when they play Bective East under lights at No. 1 Oval.
"We've let ourselves down through a lack of application really, with bat and ball," Kensell said.
"[A win over Bective] would be massive for us, at the moment. I don't think we've got a win so far this year. So we'd love to get a victory, especially against Bective. They're a great team."
Against a team like Bective, regular premiership contenders in recent seasons who currently sit second on the first grade ladder, Old Boys cannot afford many mistakes.
Their ability to recognise and grab hold of opportunities when they arise, Kensell said, will likely be the difference between winning and losing.
"I think it just comes down to whoever's the most patient," he said.
"Every team's got their good batters and their good bowlers, but the teams that take all their chances generally are the teams that win on the day. One-percenters tend to sway the games."
