INZY NOT PARKING CAREER JUST YET
One of the biggest challenges facing grade cricket clubs is keeping players in the game once they hit their thirties.
Work and family commitments understandably take priority at that stage in life and it’s hard to justify giving up one or two days a week to the game, on top of training sessions.
With that in mind, it’s great to see some old hard heads sprinkled throughout the grades at Manly, with the likes of Andrew Rochford and Simon Waddington leading our fourths and fifths respectively.
One of the key men in fourths’ success over the past 18 months has been veteran leg spinner Adam Parkinson.
Parko – or Inzy as he also known – is one of those who gave cricket away for a while to concentrate on other areas of his life.
He made the odd cameo appearance when needed over the years, but didn’t really pull the creams on fulltime until Rochy came calling last season.
Rochy needed some extra experience – not to mention a very handy leggie – to help guide his young side.
Parko has proved the perfect candidate for the job, playing a big part in fourth grade’s premiership win last year and partying just as hard as some of the young fellas.
Now 44, the popular clubman is back for another year as he eyes off 250 grade wickets for Manly.
“I’m especially glad I did come back as it’s been fulfilling to give back to a club that I spent a great deal of my teenage and 20s with and around,” Parko told Tah Talk.
“While growing up there were senior players that helped in the development of younger players and it’s nice to give the same back to the new generation.”
Asked the hardest part about playing cricket into your 40s, he replied: “How sore the body is after a day in the field, in a close second with not having the ability to replicate what the mind thinks the body can still do!”
Parko told me it will be an honour to join so many great players in cracking the 250-wicket mark, but the biggest thing he’s got out of playing for Manly are the lifelong friendships.
Well done, mate.
WHALE OF A GAME AT MANLY OVAL
We were more than happy with ourselves after bowling Mosman out for just 140 on day one of our two-day game last Saturday, thanks largely to Ryan Hadley’s super impressive eight-wicket haul.
But the Whales weren’t about to go down without a fight, reducing us to 7-108 by stumps.
Izzy Vumbaca (10*) and Hads (2*) will resume the battle on Saturday, needing another 33 runs to get us across the line for first innings points.
It’s going to be a nerve-racking morning but I’ve got full faith in those two boys and, if needed, the batters to come.
Whatever way it goes, there is still plenty of cricket left in this contest.
TAHS GIVING BACK AT JUNIOR LEVEL
As I have mentioned here before, I am extremely proud of the time our male and female cricketers give back to the game and local community.
We are currently in the middle of big coaching blitz, with our men getting out to junior clubs up and down the northern beaches.
The girls are doing their bit, hosting junior clubs for a one-hour clinics each Friday.
It’s a mutually beneficial program, with our players getting just as much from the experience as the youngsters.
Well done to all.
