Meet John Stuck, of Clacton, cricketer for Long Melford and Essex over-70s, the 81-year-old cricketer still hitting boundaries
For most 81-year-olds, Sundays would herald a relaxing day in, perhaps a roast dinner with the family and grandkids.
But for one Long Melford cricketer, Sundays are for something completely different.
John Stuck, of Clacton, has donned the Melford whites for its Sunday second team a few times this season, as well as knocking a match-winning 89 for Essex over-70s against Cambridge at Sawston. Oh, and he still keeps wicket as well.
If that was not enough, John also regularly travels around the world to officiate at over-60s world cups. That’s to go alongside his 217 career centuries.
He has turned out a few times for the over-70s side this season, which he particularly enjoys for the standard, as despite the age it is still county level. Earlier in his career, from 1969 to 1979, the former Sudbury Grammar School pupil and Bures resident played for Suffolk in the Minor Counties championship. He passed the 100,000 runs mark in 2013 and hit his 200th century three years later.
And while he is still enjoying his cricket, John says his focus nowadays is to enable the younger generations to get through, to ensure they gate a game.
He said: “I’ve played a bit for Long Melford this season, but I only really play for them now if they’re short – I won't let youngsters suffer for me.”
John said this was particularly the case on the keeping front in games. If there was a young up-and-coming keeper in the team, he would sacrifice the gloves and stand in the slips to give another the player a chance, but also to coach them through it.
“I enjoy doing that, helping out with the youngsters. I really enjoy watching them and encouraging them.
“I don’t do it for my own enjoyment anymore, I’m very happy just umpiring games.
“I’m very grateful to the club for giving me cricket in my old age, so I enjoy being able to put something back into cricket.”
In February, John will be headed down under to New Zealand to officiate at the Over-60s World Cup. This latest passport stamp will add to previous umpiring trips, including Chennai, in India, last winter and Queensland, in Australia, two years ago, both for the same tournament.
In his own words, John ‘does a lot of umpiring these days’, which includes all of Suffolk’s over-60s games, while also donning the counter and white jacket for his own club’s Sunday first XI against Cavendish this season – one of the more friendly local derbies.
As for the future, John said: “I haven’t officially retired yet – I’ll see how it goes this winter.”