Doug Crowell with his miniature bat and jacket after yesterday’s Over 60 presentation and washout with (from left) Peter Virgen, Stirling Hamman (State O60 chairman) and Kevin Pike (State O60 selector). Photo: Robert Chappel 111012RCA03
NSW Veterans Cricket Championship Finals day was a washout for all bar Doug Crowell yesterday.
The 82-year-old vet, chairman of the Tamworth Veteran Cricketers, received a special presentation from Tamworth’s three Australian Over 60 England tourists and NSW Over 60s chairman Stirling Hamman yesterday after the final day of the 2012 championship was abandoned due to rain.
Central Coast and Hunter Valley were declared co-winners after their final at Dick Edwards Oval was called off yesterday morning without a ball being bowled.
Quirindi and Sydney finished equal third, Tamworth Blue and Northern equal fifth and Tamworth Gold seventh after Western forfeited their final game.
Crowell was delighted when he received a specially -signed miniature bat and jacket from Peter Virgen, Albie Barwick and Bob Haling on behalf of their fellow vet cricketers.
Crowell and his committee had the unenviable task of abandoning the final day’s play at the vets championships and declaring joint winners.
“It is very disappointing but we did have three great days of play,” Crowell said.
“Everybody appreciated we got that far.”
He said the Championships would now be “put out to tender” with the possibility it could come back to Tamworth if other towns or cities across the state weren’t keen to host the titles.
“We’ve had it the last two years here. It’s been a great success,” Crowell said.
Stirling Hamman, president of the NSW Over 60s, said the Over 60 division was becoming stronger and growing bigger every season.
He will also captain the NSW Waratahs, the number one side, at next month’s Seventh Australian Over 60 Cricket Championship in Adelaide.
NSW will have one side in Division 1, two in Division 2 and one in Division 3.
Tamworth’s Barwick, Virgen and Haling will be joined by Quirindi’s Dennis Moran in the Waratahs.
All four toured England earlier this year with the Australian Over 60s, who were skippered by Hamman.
Virgen said the three Tamworth tourists decided they had to “do something for Doug” whilst overseas.
“Just for all the work he’s done and in recognition of what he’s done for vets cricket in Tamworth,” Virgen said.
“He’s kept on organising teams and players since vets cricket started four or five years ago in Tamworth.
“And they’ve just finished a second State Carnival here too.”
The Tamworth trio were able to have a number of international cricketers such as former West Indian Test allrounder Collis King and England batsman Wayne Larkins autograph a miniature bat.
They also presented Crowell with an Australian Over 60 jacket.