Victoria Veterans Cricket: Victoria names strong Over 50s, 60s and 70s sides

Victorian selectors have named strong sides to take on South Australia in Veterans Cricket next Tuesday.

Ron Kasputtis (middle) is congratulated after taking a wicket for the Australian Over 70s cricket side against England in 2018. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Victorian selectors have named strong sides to take on South Australia in Veterans Cricket next Tuesday.

The states will go head-to-head in three different age groups — Over 50s, Over 60s and Over 70s.

The three games will be played in Geelong.

Victoria’s Over 70s side will be captained by Gippsland champion Kevin Lanigan.

The side will include former Western Australian Sheffield Shield squad member Phil O’Meara and ex-Collingwood opening batsman Peter Neville.

The Vics’ bowling attack will be led by veteran cricket legend Ron Kasputtis, an opening fast bowler, and left-arm quickie Tim Spear, who was bowling coach at Frankston Peninsula.

The Vic Over 70s side will also have Ian Rowland, a fine left-handed batsman who is president of the Mornington Veterans Cricket Association.

Ron Lovel, Lindsay Murray, Phil Mayne, John Marriott and Ian Rowland from the Mornington Peninsula Over 60s cricket Side.

Rowland modestly said he was a “good, stock-standard First XI player, no superstar” for Mornington in the MPCA in his younger days.

“I played Country Week one year and did okay but I was a keeper-batsman, mainly opening the batting; I kept for Mornington for five or six years,” he said.

“That was my claim to fame. I played 14 or 15 years of MPCA Provincial cricket.”

Rowland said veterans cricket had given him a new lease of life. Earlier this year he represented the Australian Over 70s side in New Zealand.

“I’ve been in it (veterans cricket) 12 years now. I’ve played all round the world, literally, in social and selective cricket,’’ he said.

“We’ve got our Echuca carnival at the end of this season.”

Ron Kasputtis has played cricket for Australia in over 60s and Over 70s.

Over 70s team v South Australia

Starts at 11am - Stinton Oval, Queens Park Complex, Newtown

Kevin LANIGAN (Gippsland) Capt, Phil O’MEARA (ACS) V/Capt, Ian GIBSON (ACS), Ian ROWLAND (Mornington), Peter NEVILLE (Benalla), Rob WHITE (Warrandyte), Jim GELTCH (Vic. Country), Bryan HANCOCK (Glen Waverley), Ian GIBSON (Gippsland W/K), Tim SPEAR (Vic Country), Ron KASPUTTIS (Endeavour Hills), John COSTELLO (Geelong), and the Emergency is Greg LOTT (Geelong)

Over 60s team v South Australia

Starts at 10.30am - Osborne Park, Geelong North

Peter DUDDERIDGE (Sunbury) Capt, Peter MILLER (Sth Gippsland) V/Capt, Ken BAILEY (Gippsland), Ray SMITH (Gippsland), Paul Mc DONALD (Essendon), Jeff COLE (Geelong), Chris CARR (Geelong W/K), Phil JACKSON (Yarra Valley), Phil HICKLETON (Sunbury), Dale THORNTON (Sunbury), Rex BENNETT (Richmond Union) Mick GOLDSMITH (Essendon) form the 12, and the Emergency is Graeme ROBERTSON (Geelong)

Over 50s teams v South Australia

Burdoo Recreation Reserve, Burdoo Drive, Grovedale

VCV 1st X1: Terry Beks, Grant Dew, Dain Howe, Alex Jesensek, Rob Kerr, Allan Pearce, David Roach (Capt), Richard Saniga, Graeme Turnbull, Mark Unternahrer, Andrew Whyver, Kent Wooding

Thomson Recreation Reserve, St Albans Rd, Thomson

VCV 2nd X1: Sean Arbuckle, Ben Carnell, Andrew Bethune, Rodney Jones, Rod Kiddle, Stephen Rando, Brad McDonald, Dean Palandri, Graeme Pavey, Gary Peters ,Michael Whitehead, Lachlan Stonehouse (Capt), Michael Talbot.