Haddenham's ‘coach Mike’ defies age barrier to make county cricket debut
Mike Bodell is currently the village club’s oldest active player
The oldest active player at a village cricket club said being asked to make his county debut came as “a bolt out of the blue”.
Mike Bodell joined Haddenham Cricket Club with his son Steve after having surgery in 2008.
Since then, he has played for the Saturday and Sunday teams. helps with coaching and can now add a place in the Cambs & Hunts over 70s squad to his career tally.
“In the last three to four years, we’ve built the Haddenham club from one adult team on a Saturday and have a development team on Sundays,” said Mike.
“As a result of the Sunday league team, I was approached by an organiser of the over 70s league and they offered me a place in the team.
“It came as a bolt out of the blue.”
Mike, aged 70, made his county debut in a match at Wakefield Thornes on Thursday, 4th May.
Although he felt slightly out of his comfort zone, that will not stop the Haddenham Cricket Club chairman from enjoying the game.
“Having done nets practice with the over 70s, I realised how good the standard was and it felt well above my comfort zone,” he said.
“But that didn’t stop me from having a go and playing; I felt very comfortable with the bowling and fielding I did.
“I’ve told organisers if you don’t think I’m good enough, by all means say, but clearly they think there’s a place for me.”
"It's showing that age isn't a barrier to anybody"
At Haddenham, the man known as ‘Coach Mike’ also plays badminton on a weekly basis, helps coach the under 12s, under 13s and 7-11-year-old dynamo teams and is a qualified umpire.
He is due to play for the over 70s squad most Tuesdays while still turning out for Haddenham’s Sunday team.
And having forged a spot in the county squad, he has a simple message for anyone in a similar position.
“(Helping the club) makes me feel really good; it’s something worthwhile,” Mike added.
“I restarted cricket in my late fifties, early sixties, I play badminton once a week and it’s showing that age isn’t a barrier to anybody.”