When Old Boys captain Ben Middlebrook was asked to described what Adam Lole brings to the side, he was succinct: “Experience.”
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Now in his 28th season of first-grade cricket, the first 12 seasons in Newcastle with Lambton-New Lambton (now Wests), Lole’s passion for the game remains undiminished – the end finally in sight, perhaps.
“I’ll play until I can’t walk. But those days are getting closer, I think,” the No.3 said after hitting a 67-ball 54 in Old Boys’ 38-run win over Bective East in a one-dayer at Riverside 2 on Saturday.
It was the top score of the match, and Lole’s first innings of a rain-interrupted season, but he said he could do better.
“It wasn’t the greatest innings in the world but we'll take the win,” he said.
Lole, who turns 44 in December, was born in Tamworth and moved to Newcastle as a baby.
He returned to Tamworth as a teenager to spend a few years living with his father, before returning to Newcastle.
His work as an accountant brought him back to Tamworth, aged in his late 20s, with him first playing for Bective East and then North Tamworth.
He is in his sixth season at Old Boys, lured there by friendships forged in rep sides with the likes of Old Boys veterans Middlebrook, Simon Norvill and Aaron Hazlewood.
Last season the former Central North representative scored 390 runs in 16 innings at an average of 27.86 and with a highest score of 71.
READ ALSO:
Since the 2013-14 season, when his MyCricket stats began, he has scored 2438 runs in 88 innings, in all matches, at an average of 32.95 and with a highest score of 133.
In that time he has posted five centuries and 13 half centuries.
Last year Lole married for the second time and has put down roots.
“I can’t see myself going anywhere else,” he said.
Saturday’s round was only the second of the season, after the past two rounds were cancelled due to wet weather.
Old Boys, the reigning one-day champions, remain undefeated.
After winning the toss and batting, Norvill and Abel Carney put on a 46-run opening stand before Norvill fell for a 31-ball 37.
After Carney fell for 14, Lole and Hazlewood (28 off 31 balls) combined for a 63-run fourth-wicket partnership as Old Boys finished on 8-205 off 40 overs.
Bulls skipper Jye Paterson and Ben Halliday were the pick of the bowlers, taking 4-48 off eight overs and 3-43 off eight overs.
In reply, winless Bective were dismissed for 167 in the 35th over.
Chris Paterson (33) and Lachlan Barton (30) were the top-scorers.
Three Old Boys bowlers snared three wickets each – Amit Kumar (3-21 off 6.1 overs), Ryan Rogers (3-28 off eight) and Troy Sands (3-30 off eight).
