HOW do you celebrate Australia’s first ever over 60s cricket win against the English?
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Over a cuppa, of course.
That’s exactly what Bega cricket John Dedman did as part of the Australian team that upset the English for the first time in a decade.
Dedman formed part of a touring over 60s Australian team in a month-long tour of the southern part of England, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
“The Test series against England we got a bit of a trouncing in the first Test so that was really disappointing,” Dedman said.
“But we went away from that and did our homework and revised the way were playing and some of our tactics to win the second Test.”
The final Test match was an 80-overs aside two-day match and things looked Shaky when Australia posted a run total of 263.
England’s openers got the side to an outstanding chase of 105 before the first bails fell.
However, it was a quick downfall for the home nation as the following wickets plummeted short of 200 runs.
“They ended up collapsing on about 190-odd, it was a pretty exciting win for us,” Dedman said.
National president of Seniors Cricket Australia Ron Axelby said “this was a magnificent effort”.
“England has played masters and seniors cricket for decades and, while over 60s cricket in Australia is relatively new, it has the highest growth rate of any level of cricket in Australia,” Axelby said.
The team also secured a win in a single Test against Wales, and won the majority of a series of county games.
Fourteen regular county games were played with Australia securing wins in 11.
You could be forgiven for thinking a national team would bowl over the competition, but it wasn’t quite the case, Dedman said.
“We found the country games had a pretty strong opposition,” he said.
“They were tough games, but it was all about defeating the English, funnily enough.”
A batsman at heart, Dedman said he preferred the quicker pitches of Australia and liked to attack the ball a bit more than he was able on the English pitches.
“They’re more prone to being lower and slower – you struggle to hit across the line of the ball,” he said.
“If you play straight you’re alright, but it you go to hit across it you just miss it because you’re not used to that slow pace.
“I really enjoy the ball coming to the bat a bit quicker, it gives you more scoring opportunities.”
The biggest contrast between England and home in Bega was the pace of bowlers.
Australia provided some solid quicks, but the English took a slow approach to take pace off the ball.
“You have to go and dance down the track to try and get on the half volley or something,” Dedman said with a laugh.
It gave the Aussies some pointers though and they turned the tactic back around on the Brits.
The Aussie’s set a tight ring of fieldsman with just one out wide as a sweeper and slowed down their own bowling.
The tour was a genuine insight to the life of an Australian Test cricketer - a squad of 18 toured, but only 11 could take the field per Test.
With seven players missing each major match, there was an air of pressure and tension to retain a sport.
Dedman said he felt privileged to be named number three in the batting order for each of the Tests, but had a woeful introduction to the series.
“I’ve got to say, in the first Test an off-spinner bowled me a fast yorker on the first ball and knocked the castle over,” Dedman said with a laugh.
“I think it was the longest walk off the field I’ve ever had.”
The pressure to perform and keep your spot became apparent and provided an insight to what Australian Test cricketers face on a regular basis.
“There is a lot of pressure on you to perform every time you go out to bat and hold your spot,” Dedman said.
“It’s very much like the battle between Watson and Marsh at the number six position.”
Cricket is ingrained in the English players and Dedman said the league was a little more “structured” than the Australian masters series.
Each county has an over 60s team across four divisions and there is a cross-county championship.
Here in Australia there is a four-match series that runs in November.
This year the tournament will run in Hobart, and while Dedman hasn’t received an official invitation yet, the hotel is booked.
“I haven’t heard anything yet, but I’m hoping to play with the ACT side,” he said.