STILL PLAYING

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 55, Issue 32667, 23 January 1946, Page 5

STILL PLAYING

ENTHUSIASTIC CRICKETER MR F. W. FABER OF HUTT FATHER OF PAEROA PLAYER Among the most enthusiastic cricketers in the Epuni junior B grade cricket team is Mr F. W. ("Pop”) Faber, who this week celebrates his 71st. birthday. The oldest active cricketer in any competitions of the Hutt Valley' Cricket Association, Mr Faber is also probably the oldest player of organised cricket in New Zealand, states the last issue -of the Wellington Sports Post. Mr Faber is the father of Mr W. F. F. Faber of Paeroa.

At his age, men who once smote lustily at .the bouncing- leather ball seem to prefer to .watch the game from a comfortable seat in a sheltered grandstand, and in between hits discuss their own sensational games of 2d or 39 years ago. Mr Faber, however, has never lost the original enthusiasm he betrayed when he first commenced serious cricket in 1890.

‘Top” Faber, as he is affectionately called by his younger contemporaries, has won a reputation as a consistent bat ever since he firsiTstarted playing for Epuni Junior B four seasons ago.

Behind the wickets he is also a d’angerous enemy of the -batsman, and it is in this position that he is most at home.

He has been a “natural” wicketkeeper ever since he started serious cricket, and his efficiency and energy behind the wickets are the admiration of his team-mates.

In his first serious game of cricket, which took place when be was only 15 years of age, a ball struck his nose and knocked it sideways. It regained its old position, when, 35 years later, a ball struck him on the other side and knocked it back into place.

Except for a few seasons when he was a real family man, Mr Faber, has played cricket from the time he was 15 years of age until the present day. During his years of wicketkeeping, he estimates that he has caught out at least 100 batsmen, and stumped at least 50'.

On three occasions he has both stumped and caught a player, while on one occasion he caught out three batsmen in succession, thus obtaining a hat-trick for the bowler. In one game he accounted for seven “scalps.”

“ Bowls is really an old man’s game,” he replied indignantly to a Sports' Post reporter who' suggested that most men, at his age, seemed to prefer bowls to cricket. “They say bowls brings the stomach muscles into use, but that’s all!” He was much more interested' in cricket than he ever could be in bowls, which was not nearly so exciting. An additional reason why he had not taken up bowls was that sometimes he would be forced to be away from his home for long periods at a time, in which case his garden would! be neglected.

Mr Faber confided' in the reporter that he expects to be playing cricket for at least another four years. He always l looked forward' to his Saturday afternoon’s play and was always, disappointed if play was cancelled ow-_ ing to bad weather.