COFFS Harbour Golden Oldies Cricket Club have taken on a Mid North Coast veterans team in an inter-district social match at Phillip Hughes Oval in Macksville.

It was a fine game of winter cricket, as Noel Chapman arranged for the preparation of a wicket and use of the beautiful Phillip Hughes Oval at Macksville to stage a social game with good neighbors, the Mid North Coast.

In terms of age the younger Mid North Coast team held a slight advantage, but the picnic atmosphere of the event left no-one in doubt that veterans cricket is alive and well on the North Coast.

Coffs Harbour opened the batting and posted 129 off their 45 overs.

Batting on a pitch which displayed variable bounce Eric Higgins (21 runs), Graham Doust (17), Laurie Newland (13) and Joe Nolan (16) held the innings together.

In reply, Mid North Coast successfully chased down the total led by a knock of 45 by man of the match Peter Morris.

Coffs Harbour Golden Oldies cricketer Graham Doust gave his thoughts on the Macksville match.

“Trevor Coles took two wickets with his highly flighted deliveries that ascended so far that air traffic controllers at Coffs Airport may have been thinking an unidentified aircraft had entered their control zone,” he said.

“After a nice lunch, including party pies and sausage rolls, the Coffs team took the field.

“Early accurate bowling by Nolan, Crossland and Doust limited the scoring.

“A hard hitting innings by Peter Morris (45), well supported by Trevor Coles (13) and Barry Everingham (23) guided the Mid North Coast to victory.

“This was despite a wily spell of bowling by Andrew Hunter who challenged the batsmen with flight and spin to take an amazing 5 for 22 from his six overs.

“Andrew was well supported by Terry Herbert who had the batsmen struggling to keep their wickets intact with accurate and incisive seamers.

“At the presentation after the game man of the match awards were presented to Peter Morris and Andrew Hunter.

“Noel Chapman and Brian Martin were acknowledged for their organisation of the event.”

Training for Coffs Harbour Golden Oldies Cricket Club continues weekly at the nets at Sawtell’s Richardson Park, on Wednesdays commencing at 1pm.

All ‘older’ cricketers are welcome to come along.

By Aiden BURGESS