SOUTH East cricket legend Gary Ashby has received the top accolade in the South Australian Veterans Cricket Association.
He was presented with life membership for the SAVCA last weekend in Willalooka, following a two-day competition between local South East Coasters Cricket Club and Adelaide-based teams.
A gentleman of the sport, Ashby received the honour after his many years of hard work in both forming and promoting the South East Coasters, along with his heavy involvement in veterans cricket in the region.
Head curator of Mount Gambier’s turf wickets for the past 19 years, Ashby received life membership for the Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association back in 1984, while he is also a life member at his home club of Kongorong for both cricket and football.
On receiving SAVCA life membership, Ashby said he was left “speechless”.
“It was totally unexpected,” he said.
“Not very often people from the country get recognised, it is more the Adelaide people who would get life membership.
“But they decided they would do it for me.
“I was really chuffed.”
Despite Ashby’s shock, to many the achievement will not come as a surprise, as he is undeniably a worthy recipient of the award.
Ashby has attended the Veterans Cricket Championships on at least 11 occasions at both Over 60 and 70 level and has captained both sides over the years.
He organised the first veterans game against South Australia and Victoria and continues to keep matches of the like alive in the region.
He is the main driver behind maintaining local senior cricket games against Hamitlon, Geelong and Adelaide teams.
Ashby captained the state Over 70’s team in the National Championships in Western Australia and Queensland and this year toured England with the SA Veterans team.
He also toured the country as part of an Australian invitational team in 2015.
While captain of the Over 60’s South East Coasters side, Ashby received the Spirit of Cricket Award for exemplary sportmanship in the Over 60’s Australian Cricket Carnival held in New South Wales.
With many achievements in senior cricket, Ashby is also well decorated from his younger years.
His cricket career started at the age of 14, when he played his first Barber Shield match for the Kongorong Cricket Club.
Retiring at the age of 48, he scored 23 centuries in the MGDCA.
His highest score was a 213-not-out, which he managed while playing with a broken finger.
That year he also posted scores of 158 and 191-not-out.
Over the years Ashby has played inter-town, represented the state and has played internationally.
In 1974 he toured New Zealand with his local South East side, while he has also played in England and Samoa over the years.
He scored an unbeaten 144-not-out at the Adelaide Oval in the SACA Country Carnival in 1971, was cricketer of the year in the MGDCA three times and won the batting aggregate on four occasions.
Ashby shows no signs of slowing down and is sure to continue achieving greatness in his veteran career.
“I am 76 and still going strong,” he said.
“A lot of people think if you are still playing (at this age) you are mad.
“But I am not the only one, it’s all over the state.
“Seniors cricket is actually booming.
“We go to the nationals and we now have to split up over 60’s and over 70’s for the final dinner because there is over 600 people there.
“Now we have an over 60’s carnival and over 70’s carnival at different times.”
