Team News & Appeals

Nidderdale League Golden Oldies Teams

Quite a few individuals have put their names down to play, and two teams have been entered: the Nidderdale Golden Oldies and the Nidderdale Nomads. Two more teams could be added if enough people sign up for each of the three days — so if you are over 40 on 9th August 2010, are a member of the Nidderdale League and would like a game on 9th, 11th or 13th August — or all three days — add your name to the list, soon as possible, on the website www.nidderdaleleague.co.uk

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Galaxy of Test and First Class Players coming to Nidderdale

We are still waiting for a few Golden Oldies team information sheets to be returned, but it is already clear that a host of former first class and test players are going to be gracing our grounds during festival week in August.

Former Aussie spinner Bob Holland is coming to Nidderdale with the Newcastle (NSW) Lords Taverners. Former Yorkshire / England players Martyn Moxon and Jim Love are hoping to turn out for Spofforth. State cricketer Rodney Gray, now 61, will be joining the South African Willows. Mark Gaskell, who played for Queensland, will be playing for the Queensland Cricketers Club Gold team: Dennis Lillie, the 62 year old former Queensland leg spinner, will be playing for the same club’s Maroon side. The line-up for the local Lords Taverners team will include Neil Smith, Paul Aldred, Vince New and former Yorkshire captain Richard Blakey. Sandy Morgan, who played 37 games for Queensland 1965-70 will be playing for the Primary Club of Australia. West Indies quickie Collis King and Harwood Williams of the Leeward Islands will be playing for Walton. Mike Huddy and Dave Edwards, who both played senior provincial cricket, will be playing for the South African Vagabonds. The Valleys Diehard team from Queensland will be hard to beat: all of their players are former Grade cricketers, and six of the Goulbourn Trinity Tigers are former district players.

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Golden Ancients!

After reading the above some may worry that they are too old, or no longer fit enough, to play: we can provide some reassurance. Looking through the team information sheets that have arrived so far, these are the oldest players that we have spotted:

78	Lloyd Edwards, British Columbia Golden Oldies / Cambridge Antiques Bill Collins, Cuckfield Golden Oldies (W. Sussex)
77	Jock Brewer, Yandina Pioneers
76	Geoff Longfield, Cuckfield Golden oldies
73	Doug Buttar, Central Otago Wanderers
72	Mike Healy, Hawkes Bay Hobblers Geoff Atkinson, Cardinals
71	Neil McEachern, Gladstone Muddies Alan Squire, Newcastle (NSW) Lords Taverners Peter Scott, Gold Coast Cricket Society
70	Paul Boyes, Auckland Cricket Society

The combined ages of these eleven players adds up to 809 years!

The oldest team to date is the Cambridge Antiques, with an average age of 67. The Gladstone Muddies own up to having an average age of ‘65’ish’, and the Gold Coast Cricket Society and Hawkes Bay Hobblers both have an average age of more than 60.

These are clearly remarkable, and one might almost say ‘Old Peculier’, people.