The first game of Veterans Cricket played in Wagga has been hailed a huge success

A team from Wagga played against ACT at McPherson Oval on Monday in an effort to increase interest in the sport.

Ron Axelby is the over 70's coordinator on the Veterans Cricket ACT Board and he believed that Monday's exhibition game was a massive success.

"It was a really good and enjoyable game," Axelby said.

"We came down with that in mind, to make it a pleasant game for everybody and to encourage blokes to play Veterans Cricket.

"That's what it was all about, it wasn't about winning and losing.

"Obviously we've been playing in the Vets competition for 15 years and we train every Sunday, but from what I saw today there were quite a number of the Wagga boys who were very good players.

"The initiative was to try and encourage more guys to play Veterans Cricket with the view down the track that we have regular games between Wagga and the ACT.

"Then select players if they want to play with the ACT teams that go to the nationals and the NSW State Championships."

Axelby added that players can get selected in Australian sides and that recent international tours for over 60's and 70's levels have been held in England, South Africa and New Zealand.

Competitions in Veterans Cricket start at over 40's and Axelby said that the latest class introduced was for players aged over 75.

David Benn is one of the local players looking to establish a team in Wagga and he was thrilled with how the exhibition match went.

"It was fantastic," Benn said.

"We are really thankful to Ron for his encouragement.

"Veterans Cricket is growing at 15 to 20 per cent a year Australia wide and Wagga has nothing but has some handy cricketers.

"One of these fellas hadn't played a game since 1978 and there was another one who hadn't played since the 80's.

"I would call it a great success and we are thankful to Wagga Cricket and Owen Thompson and the Cats for letting us have the use of the ground.

"We hope we can keep it going now."

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Benn said that are hoping to organise some regular training for those interested in Veterans Cricket in the not too distant future while Axelby revealed he was hopeful of hosting a Wagga side in Canberra before the end of the year.

"We are hoping to host the Wagga boys in Canberra maybe some time in mid-December but if not then after Christmas," he said.

"We will just go from there and from what I saw today there's some bloody good cricketers down here which is great."

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