By Luke Voogt
A 70-year-old cricket veteran is leading efforts to start a 50-plus competition in Geelong to encourage locals to keep fit.
John Williams, who plays in an over-60s league, planned to set up a Geelong over-50 cricket club, and four local teams on behalf of Veterans Cricket Victoria.
“It’s been going in the other side of Melbourne for quite some time,” he said. “At our level, it’s like a men’s shed.”
Veterans cricket was a great way to stay socially connected and stay active, Williams said
“I’m still pretty fit,” he said. “We quite often get grants from the government for veterans to keep us going – the oldies grant,”
“You get us oldies playing cricket, and we might volunteer for coaching or positions on committees. From past experience … several clubs benefit from the veterans concept.”
Williams proposed the four clubs face off one Sunday a month to avoid interfering with club cricket.
“It is very important that players are not taken away from their club teams on Saturdays,” he said.
Williams will hold a meeting about the proposed competition at Bruce Moore Room, Geelong Cricet Club, on 29 August.
He was happy to expand the competition based on interest.
“The four teams is only a proposal. If we get 100 people to the meeting, we’re going to need six teams.”
He hoped Geelong could field players for the Australian over-50 team, which tours England in 2018.
Several Geelong over-60s players and Geelong Cricket Club had got behind the concept, he said.
The competition would feature rules to increase participation, like a maximum seven overs per bowler and batsman retiring at 35, he added.
