Kentish duo selected for England Over 60s tour of Australia

Two cricketers from Blackheath Cricket Club will taking part in England Over 60's tour of Australia this spring.

Former Kent Cricket Board chairman Chris Swadkin (pictured above, front row, fourth from left) and clubmate Rupert Staple are in the 17-man squad.

When did you start playing cricket?

My first experience of hard ball cricket was at primary school – wearing one pad; green spiked batting gloves and no helmets – we were tough in those days and no adult had been near aH&S manual! As that was in the late '50s, I've been playing a few decades…….

Who have been your biggest influences?

A cliché I guess but my Dad – who played as a keeper and ill disciplined batsman (slogger) for a parks team – as going with himto matchesfirst caught my interest in the game; then a crazy eccentric, Doug Keeble who ran a Sunday side and gave me my first opportunity in adult cricket. If you mean technically/tactically no one really – regular coachingwas never a feature, so I just worked out a method by trial and error and tried to emulate Garry Sobers!

How does the game evolve as you get older?

60+ cricket is obviously slow motion – the bowling is slower; running is slower (both batsmen and fielders – so tends to cancel out!); and to score heavily you need patience as generally bowlers are accurate and you have to put pace on the ball as they won't.

In some respects it is easier to play league cricket as there is more pace on the ball; more bad balls…. and you can field at slip all day!

Who’s the oldest player you’ve played with or against?

I'm not sure. I played a match this year with John Brown, the Derbyshire scorer, who is an old boy of my school – he's 78 and I know a wandering side came to Blackheath a few years ago for a Cricket Week match and had 3 players over 80 so I've got a few years yet!

How can over 60s get involved in cricket in Kent?

Kent Over 60s run three teams in the National Championship and this year plan to run a 4th XI playing friendlies – so there are plenty of opportunities for anyone whois looking for a game – whether or not you play regularly for another team/club.

Howard Smith co-ordinates it all – just email your interest to aitchsmith@virginmedia.com

Alsothere isa Kent 70+ team (and England 70+ who this winter also went to Australia – with Derek Birmingham fromHSBCon the trip). I think 2 of our current 60+ team, who are now eligible for the 70+ may well get the England call for that age group this summer!)

By the way – the 60+ cricket is not supported or organised by the ECB (eitherthe County Championship or the England team) – all the organisation is done by a committee elected from the participating counties and tours etc are self funded. Completely different in Australia where Cricket Australia endorse and help fund 60+ cricket.