HAMILTON and District Cricket Association (HDCA) representative team head coach, Nic Cullinane, has proved he is not just a mentor.

He has been called into the Over-50s Victorian team as a player for the four-state tournament being held on the Gold Coast next month.

The College Cricket Club opening batsman has been training to bring his game to the required level.

The desire was lit within after seeing a Facebook post that was looking for umpires for the Over-50s national titles that are being held in Adelaide this November, with Cullinane contacting those in charge to find out how he could trial for a place as a player.

“I was initially approached by the South Australia CA reps to trial with them for the tournament and I have been in training twice a week for the past two months,” Cullinane said.

“After doing all the work to improve my batting and fielding and then driving to Adelaide over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, I trialled with the rest of the squad.

“They put me in the net with their opening bowlers and as I had been batting against the bowling machine set at 115km I found that I was well prepared for the test.

“I must have impressed the selectors as I received a call on the drive home saying that I had been selected and I was over the moon.”

Cullinane continued to train, but his selection hit a roadblock, due to his residence being in Victoria, meaning he was not eligible to play for Silverbacks.

The Hamilton local then got a reprieve, selected in the Victorian team.

“I have to say that poor bloke that had to deliver the news was very apologetic, and I would have hated to have his job,” Cullinane said.

“Thankfully for me, the South Aussie’s rang the Victorian hierarchy and after some back and forth between them I received a call from the Vic Selectors saying I was selected for them.”

The competition will feature Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia with the team staying on the Gold Coast but playing on the best grounds in Brisbane during the first week in July.

At 52 years old, Cullinane is regarded as being one of the “youngsters” in the team and as such he has been working on his fielding rather than his preferred spot as wicket keeper.

“Learning to throw again has been the toughest task in the process as I haven’t had to do a lot of throwing in the past number of years being based the stumps for College,” he said.

With the Monivae Hub being full sized for indoor training, Cullinane has been able to retract the netting for all but one net to allow fielding drills to be undertaken.

“I have to thank Jim Bailey at Monivae for allowing this to occur, and I must say that the facility here in our town is the equal of the facility at Adelaide Oval which is home to the South Australian Sheffield Shield squad, which proves that we have the best right here for all players in the Western District to use, especially over the winter months and for pre-season,” Cullinane said.

“I could never have done this training outdoors.

“Having reached the age that I am, I had never been selected for such a team before and I wanted to have a crack to see if I was good enough.

“I’ve been given an opportunity now I have grab it with both hands and run with it.”

With the HDCA having an Over-40, Over-60 and now an Over-70s team, there is a gap available for the Over-50s to form a side and start competing against other of their vintage.

“There are some very good cricketers who are still running around in A grade who are playing very good cricket,” he said.

“Players like Robbie Cook and Matt Hill could easily handle the level and there are others throughout the grades who I’m sure would love the opportunity to test themselves.”

“Veterans cricket is the fastest growing sport in Australia and there’s no reason the HDCA couldn’t be a part of it.

“The goal as a player is to make the Vic team for the Nationals in November which will involve training in Melbourne once a week and continuing to train here at Monivae, but as a coach I would love to see our boys take the next step and defeat Warrnambool plus do well again at Melbourne Country Week.”