A POPULAR club cricketer who has taken more than 4,500 wickets has bowled his last delivery after 66 years.

Old Elizabethans’ Tony Neel has decided to call time on his remarkable playing career at the age of 81.

The well-respected bowler was given a guard of honour by his Old Elizabethans team-mates and opponents Stourport in the Worcestershire League Second XI Division Five fixture.

“I played four games this season and I decided to call it a day,” conceded Tony.

“I started to have problems with my shoulder at the end of last season, probably due to all the overs I have bowled, and I had a bit of treatment.

“I was playing for Old Elizabethans fourths and I could only bowl two-and –a-half overs.

“I had just delivered a good maiden in my second over and then I couldn’t get my arm up in the next.

“I had just bowled the third ball of my third over when I approached the captain and told him it was all over – I was finished.

“I suppose it was a dramatic way to end — but I knew I had bowled my very last ball.

“Afterwards, the Stourport players and the Old Elizabethans players lined up to clap me off the field.

“One of the Stourport lads even said I had been his inspiration for playing the game — which was lovely to hear.”

Tony began his cricket career at Rushwick in 1949 before a spell with Worcester City at New Road.

He enjoyed 55 years with Kays at the Cinderella Ground in St John’s and has been involved with OEs since 1988.

The club has named their second ground in his honour.

“Apart from my arm, I have felt in really good nick — I walk and cycle and take the dog out every day,” he said.

“I started in 1949 playing for Rushwick and this would have been my 67th successive season so I had been playing cricket a long time.

“I had a sore knee a few years ago and I was out for six weeks but I have been very lucky with injuries.

“It is a strange thing to be playing at my age because much better players than me have been forced to retire a lot earlier.

“I have been very lucky with captains, too.”

Tony, who will be turning 82 in August, has played representative cricket for Worcestershire seniors in the over 50s, 60s and 70s age groups.

He bowled nine overs at a cost of just 22 runs against Hampshire at the start of this season.

He said: “I checked out recent records and I have taken more than 700 wickets but a lot of my years can’t be traced and I must have taken in the region of 3,500 to 4,000 wickets.

“I have never been a big turner of the ball — I only rolled it out — I have got many of my wickets over the years by bowling line and length.”

He did not take any 10-wicket hauls in a match — but he did finish with nine wickets in an innings on two occasions. He also recalls taking two hat-tricks in an innings against a side from Redditch when he was playing for Metal Box.

But Tony, who also is the president and founder of Perrywood Football Club, admits he cannot imagine not being involved in cricket.

“I am definitely finished as a player but I am going to remain involved in the sport,” he said.

“Cricket has been a special part of my life and I am now going to start umpiring at Old Elizabethans in third and fourth team matches.”