LIFE begins at 70 for country boy Ian Gibson, who has been chosen to open the batting for the Victorian Over 70s team at next week’s national Over 70s carnival in Adelaide.
Originally from Wangaratta where his brother still runs the family’s wheat farm, ‘Gibbo’ is a right hand batsman and agile cover fieldsman who has been to six previous carnivals at Over 60s level for his club team, the Australian Cricket Society.
He says cricket keeps him young. ‘Why retire if you don’t have to,’ he says.
His opening partner at the carnival, Dick Stumbles from Frankston South, has also just turned 70. Dick tuned up for the carnival with a top-score of 40 for the Society in its annual Over 60s game against the Mornington Peninsula Over 60 at Hastings last weekend.
Pic: Dick (left) with Gibbo at Grayden’s Reserve, Hastings last Sunday
Eight of our Australian Cricket Society playing regulars are competing at the championships. Ian Hammet is captaining the Vic seconds.