The veteran all-rounder, who plays for Whorouly-Gapsted’s B-grade team in his 50th year of senior cricket, says it’s the spirit of the game that keeps calling him back.

“It scares me what I’d do without it, to be honest,” he said.

“My wife wants me to give it away but I’m still feeling quite energetic so it might not be my last season — I’m still earning my position in the side, I’m not getting a game because of my age, so you never know.

“In the country, it’s harder and harder to keep kids interested in cricket but the sport itself hasn’t really changed.

“I enjoy the spirit of cricket more than anything and it’s something I think I can help instil in the young kids.

“It’s a competitive game, of course, but there’s a degree of honour in cricket that isn’t found in other sports.”

Brown began playing seniors at Mooroopna in the Shepparton competition in 1960, playing juniors in the morning and then cycling to the seniors game afterwards.

His career culminated in selection for a Gippsland representative team that was set to play the touring South African team in 1971.

But due to the apartheid, that game never took place.

After a stint in Melbourne, Brown moved north to open the Milawa Cheese Company about 15 years ago and even he wouldn’t have imagined still rolling the arm over in his sixth decade.

He admits there are times his body begs him to stop.

“My body definitely tells me about it on Sundays,” Brown laughs.

“But we’ve got a good mix of young and older players, so I just stand in the slips and the young blokes do all the running.

“I can bowl only about 15 or 20 overs a week and I don’t like using too many up at training.”

Whorouly-Gapst ed president Fraser Jeffery, 45 himself, says his teammate’s efforts are inspirational.

“On Saturday it was stinking hot and he bowled eight overs straight (taking 0-24) in a one-dayer,” Jeffery said.

“It’s crazy — I sometimes think I have to give it away but then I look at Dave and he’s 62 and it makes me think I have a few years left.

“He’s an inspiration to me, and to everyone really ... you’ve got to respect the fact he’s played senior cricket for 50 years.

“He can still catch, still bowl and still bat — he’s not there just making up the numbers.”