After the weekend they will also tell you there would probably be no premiership celebrations for the Tigers in the Goulburn Murray Cricket season deciders on Saturday without the man they affectionately call ‘‘Rags’’.
His patient knock of 43, with three boundaries, off 103 balls was one of the major reasons why Rushworth was in premiership mode on Saturday night.
With support from fellow opener Brett Pateman and an unbeaten half-century from Jak McMillan Rushworth’s score of 3-145 off its 36 overs proved out of reach of its rival, Echuca, dismissed for 109 in 33 overs in Goulburn Murray Cricket’s D-grade season decider.
The win was even more memorable for Rags as the win is in the competition named in his honour.
He is also president of Rushworth Cricket Club.
And if that’s not enough Rags just happens to be 66 years of age, so he has had his highs and lows on his lengthy cricket journey.
Although he had a distinguished 10-year career as an all-rounder with Kyabram Cricket Club in his prime in the halcyon days of the former Kyabram District Cricket Association, his home town of Rushworth has always been where his heart has raced fastest when it comes to cricket.
It all began in the old gold mining town when he played his junior cricket more than half-a-century ago.
And don’t bring up the word retirement if you get the chance to congratulate Rags on his latest triumph.
Unless something unforeseen happens that’s certainly not on his agenda at this point in time.
‘‘Yes, I’ll be going on. I get the chance again to play with two of my grandsons (Heath and Thomas Ogden) doing this and I really enjoy it,’’ Rags said.
Heath is only 11, but has been a regular this season and was a member of Saturday’s premiership side, while his brother Thomas is only nine, but has also filled in at times this season to help out with numbers.
‘‘It’s just really special to be able to still play with them. Why would I retire, I’m just warming up.‘’
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