Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall discovers cricket silver at the New Zealand Masters Games in Dunedin.
Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall discovers cricket silver at the New Zealand Masters Games in Dunedin.
History will record that Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall won silver at the 2018 New Zealand Masters Games in Dunedin.
Whether it was deserved, however, was a matter of conjecture and much light-hearted banter.
The cricket-mad McDouall was a member of the Pie Chuckers cricket team that drew with The Vetsin the over 35, 20-over, 8-aside competition, but lost gold on countback.
Each of the eleven teams played four matches apiece, but McDouall only featured in one, and that was fielding only after not being required at seven of eight in the batting line-up.
"We finished with 154/3 with one retired on 35 and they ended with 154/4, but had the better stats on countback, so was awarded the gold medal," McDouall said.
"I arrived to the games late because of Mayoral duties in Whanganui and joined up with a bunch of friends of friends to play for the Pie Chuckers. I only played the one game and wasn't required to bat being seven on the order.
"Until this match with The (Otago) Vets my mates had gone through unbeaten and done very well. I'm not known as a bowler either, so didn't get to send any down and I didn't make any catches, but I did stop a ball to save one run, so in a way I guess that saved the day and allowed us to tie the game.
"I was terrified when the ball came my way that I wouldn't be able to stop it, but I managed to in the end.
"The Vets were not veterinarians, they were veteran first class cricketers, some of whom I recalled as pretty handy players. Their team included Chris Gaffney, the international umpire who scored 4700 runs, including eight centuries in first class cricket and Warren McSkimming, a useful fast bowler who played 55 first class game."
McDouall conceded that while his link to the medal was tenuous, it will be recorded in history and he got the chance to meet one of his boyhood heroes.
"B G Williams presented me with my medal, he was my boyhood hero. I also invited my team mates and rival players to celebrate the 30th New Zealand Masters Games anniversary in Whanganui next year," McDouall said.
