Martin Pennefather named in Greycaps World Cup squad

Whanganui cricketer Martin Pennefather (batting) has been named on the Greycaps World Cup squad.

Property Brokers United cricketer Martin Pennefather has been named in the New Zealand team to compete in the inaugural over-50 World Cup later this year.

Pennefather makes the 16-man Greycaps squad after the team's first outing in a drawn series with Australia in Nelson this summer.

The World Cup in Sydney features hosts Australia along with England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Wales and Canada.

"This over-50s thing has just started in New Zealand, in other countries it's big. There's an over-50s county circuit in England," Pennefather said.

The 54-year-old returned to Whanganui premier cricket last season after about a decade in the lower grades.

And put his hand up for the national side when the call was put out in the summer. Being fit and playing regular cricket was a prerequisite.

"A lot of guys my age can play a game of cricket but then they're wrecked for a week," he said.

The World Cup is in November which means Pennefather will get three or four club games in beforehand.

"So I'll need to be doing something over winter. We've got to keep our hand in."

Pennefather said he expected the over-50s concept to take off in the next decade.

"I think there's more out there than we think. A lot of guys are still pretty handy at 50, it's just whether they're playing regularly.

"There's a lot of guys with good skill, really good cricketers but it's about fitness when you get to this age."

The New Zealand squad includes former Central Districts fast bowlers Dean Askew and David Leonard, former Wellington and Black Caps bowler Richard Petrie, Wellington's Lincoln Doull and Canterbury bowler Andrew Nuttall.