Michael Louw, the most dedicated of North East cricketers, has made the best of the 27 years he has graced the area, ranging from his time as a player and a captain of a team in the top flight of the Scottish club game to the many hours and years he has given to the development of the junior and women’s game at Stoneywood-Dyce and Huntly.
And yet the 53 year old South African is not yet done, embarking on a new phase in his long involvement in the game he loves, which he hopes will lead to him gaining international recognition in Scotland, the country he happily adopted in 1999.
”I little imagined when I first came to live in the North East of Scotland that I would not only still be playing cricket, but that in my fifties, I would have the chance to become a Scotland player,” said Louw.
But thanks to the enterprise of Cricket Seniors Scotland who have created Over 40’s, 50’s and over 60’s teams, the talented all rounder could yet pull on a Scotland jersey and play in an over age World Cup.”It would be a dream come true,” said the enthusiastic South African when I caught up him in the gym where he was ensuring he would be fit enough should he get the call.
His initial target was to play in next year’s Over 50’s World Cup in India, having played in the regional games in the Aberdeen area along with his Huntly team mate Andy Petrie.
Unfortunately, the much respected Louw had to declare himself unavailable for the February competition, as he has an ageing mother back in South Africa, and has decided to take his wife Carol and their family to visit her this coming Christmas. ”The competition is self funded, so I had to decide between visiting my mother, or going to India. The choice was simple. There will be other world cups. I have seven years in which to break into the Scottish squad; hence my exercise schedule,” he said.
The squad for the 2027 World Cup in India will be announced on October 10, and while Louw will miss out, there are a number of other candidates from the North East, including Petrie who are likely to be named.
Louw’s enthusiasm for over age cricket brimmed over when he said: ”Over age cricket, while being very competitive, is also very social, giving me many new friends, all over Scotland. It’s a wonderful set up.”
MIKE LOUW LOOKING FIT AND RELAXED ON AGE GROUP DUTY