MARK Kerr just keeps on going.
The Mildura Settlers’ First Division left-armer clocks up game 300 for the club on Saturday against Merbein South at Mildura Senior College and is showing no signs of slowing down.
“Cricket’s a game I’m still enjoying and I’m still able to do it at a reasonable level so that’s always pleasing, to try and strive to get to the highest level possible,” he said.
“I actually didn’t realise it until (Thursday night) at training … to join a couple of other people in the club who have done that, it’s always a nice thing to get a personal milestone every now and again, it’s not something you play cricket for but it’s nice to achieve it when it comes around.”
The seven-time First Division premiership player, his last being the 2018-19 flag at the tender age of 48, credits his bowling style for his longevity.
With 14 wickets at 19.57 in the 2019-20 season it remains effective.
“A very short run up, that helps. With the nature of cricket being a game where you can have a lot of rest or down time as well, especially batting lower in the order like I do, it’s not always high intensity for great lengths of time,” Kerr said.
“I just try to maintain a reasonable level of fitness anyway, it’s something I enjoy doing – I like to keep active, and just love of the game and the club as well.
“I think it’s coming out all right, I still feel fine and still pull up OK, my style of bowling is something suited to longevity I think, I don’t feel it’s overly taxing.”
Remarkably, Kerr’s seven First Division flags have all come since the 2007-08 season.
He has played in nine grand finals overall and is this year looking to make it 10 with Settlers top of the ladder.
“It’s something you don’t expect, to be that involved in finals over a period of time but I suppose we’ve managed a bit of a culture now where we have that expectation of ourselves and each other to make the finals,” Kerr said.
“We work hard as a club to promote our good quality players from juniors upwards, I think that’s a strength of ours.
“I think the squad is bigger this year for potential First Division players. I rate it as good as any squad I’ve played with.
“We just haven’t been able to get our best team on the field week in week out … but there’s probably at least 15-16 players who can be rated First Division cricketers, which is pretty healthy.
“Hopefully we can make that work for us leading into the finals.”
In a double celebration for the club, Leigh Penna plays game 200 in the Fourth Division at Kenny Park against Merbein South.
