​Lloyd Haley is one of our club’s original founders and was made a Life member in 2017. He has held an executive position every year of the club’s operation and has been an outstanding playing contributor as a wicket keeper- batsman.

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Here is his story.

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Lloyd’s involvement with cricket goes back to his primary school days in Christchurch, New Zealand. As Lloyd describes it, “At Opawa Primary School in the 50’S there wasn’t much choice in the way of sport. Rugby in the winter and cricket in the summer. I always liked playing outdoors so it was a no brainer to start playing cricket. Like most primary schools in those days, there was no wicket at the school so on a Wednesday, sports afternoon, with all schools finishing early, we would share the bats and pads around fellow team mates, bats bundled with a pair of pads, saddle up on our bikes with the gear balancing on the handle bars, and trundle over to Hagley Park in the middle of Christchurch, which was home to numerous cricket wickets. I wasn’t much of a bowler and we didn’t have anyone to ‘stand behind the wickets and stop the ball’. I thought that wasn’t a bad idea so volunteered for the position now commonly known as a wicketkeeper.”

Progressing to secondary school, cricket became a bit more serious as did Lloyd’s attitude towards ‘keeping. Fortunately, he had a teacher at school who had played grade cricket and was a wicket keeper. He coached Lloyd and from the Second XI, he was soon playing in the First XI, playing against a lot of talented cricketers who later went on to higher honours.

Lloyd continues, “After leaving secondary school and although then playing in a band, I still wanted to be involved with cricket so joined my father’s watering hole cricket team, the Woolston Working Men’s Club. They were playing Senior B in the local grade competition and I spent 3 years playing there before I was transferred to Wellington.”

Cricket ceased until he was transferred to Auckland where after a couple of years, he joined the Auckland Commercial Travellers Club. They had two cricket teams playing in the Business House Association League with teams coming from the likes of banks, government departments, larger private companies etc and involved a lot of younger players with young families that didn’t want to commit to two-day cricket but enjoyed a limited over game on a Saturday afternoon. Drinking and driving eventually had its effect on Club patronage in the 80’s and 90’s and two teams became one. During this period, they put together a couple of teams from Business House players and joined in with the ‘Golden Oldies’ tours to Brisbane in 1988,  Vancouver in 1992 and Christchurch in 1994.  Lloyd was Captain-President of the Commerce Club Cricket Club for 10 years but when Jan and he bought a lifestyle property in Dury, South Auckland, he registered with the Massey Park Cricket Club playing Senior B, A grade in the Counties Cricket Association. They were quite successful for a small 1 team Club and won 4 flags during the 8 year period he played with them. In February 2001 Jan and Lloyd left New Zealand and set up home in Melbourne.

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So how did you come to play Veterans Cricket, Lloyd?

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“Thoughts of cricket took a back seat after arriving Melbourne. Initially I was busy setting up and establishing a business and looking for a property not too far from Melbourne to build a house and set up kennels for Jan’s dogs. After 5 years we were settled and I turned my thoughts towards doing something on the weekends and of course cricket came to mind. I looked around the local cricket clubs but couldn’t see how a late 50’s average cricketer could compete with the young guns frolicking around the paddock. In 2008 I heard a gentleman on 3AW talking about Veterans cricket and setting up a meeting to form a club in the Essendon area. Of course this was John Hammer, father of Over 60’s cricket in Victoria. After a preliminary meeting the year before, a second meeting was held at the Moonee Ponds Civic Centre on April 15th 2008. Chaired by former Essendon Mayor, Eugene Hammer, this formally began the process of forming the Essendon team for the coming 2008-2009 season. An interim committee of myself as President and Ron Luckman as Secretary was appointed. A further meeting in July confirmed we had 14 players, plus others considering their participation. The meeting confirmed the appointments of Ron and myself as Secretary/Treasurer and President. And so begun my journey with Veterans cricket in Victoria.”

 

So Lloyd, what other aspects are there concerning your involvement with Essendon and Veterans Cricket in general?

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“Initially, Sunday morning practice was held at the Overland Reserve nets in East Keilor. Essendon competed in the VOSCA 2008-09 season with Poplar Reserve as our home ground. Substantial sponsorship was received from the Electrical Trades Union, the Lincolnshire Arms Hotel and Vanda which ensured the club was financially healthy. I held the position of President for 4 years during which time we gradually increased player numbers and consolidated the financial security for the club. I also looked after the Club’s finances as I had the accounting software although officially, Ron Luckman and Bob Sutherland were the elected Treasurers. (I didn’t believe that the President should be seen to hold the ‘purse strings’ to the Club’s finances). After stepping down as President in 2012, I was elected Treasurer and continue to do so. Ron and I were also VOSCA delegates during the early years of the Club.

It has been amazing to watch the growth of Veterans cricket, not only in Victoria but throughout Australia. From Over 60’s to Over70’s and now Over75’s. The growth can be seen by the number of teams representing their States at National tournaments. One of the highlights in the cricketing calendar each season is the Over 60’s Annual Echuca Cricket Carnival held in March each year. Essendon or composite Essendon teams have featured well and recently enjoyed success as Division One winners in 2023 after winning Division Two the previous year.”

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Lloyd captained one of two teams that undertook a tour of New Zealand in 2012. This was the beginning of an amazing 10 years of touring the world with veteran cricket teams made up of predominately Victorian players. He toured countries that he believes he would not have visited if it hadn’t been for veterans cricket - countries and places including Samoa, Honolulu, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, USA, Canada, South Africa, South African game reserves, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Japan, England, Scotland, Paris and Sri Lanka. Lloyd also played in many National tournaments in both Over 60’s and Over 70’s. However, most importantly in Lloyd’s mind are the number of people and players he has met over this period, some of whom remain personal friends today.

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Well, Lloyd, what have been your career highlights?

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“Two career highlights stand out. The first was back in New Zealand in 1989 playing with the Commerce Club against our sister Tauranga club in a 40 Over match. Against an opening bowling attack which included Richard Collinge, then retired from international cricket but still a force to be reckoned with, I managed a best ever score of 139.

The second was in 2016 at the Echuca Carnival, wicket keeping against a Gippsland team, where I was involved in 7 dismissals – 3 catches, 2 stumping and 2 run out assists. Throughout my cricketing career there have been other achievements but these are the two that stand out.

 

A glimpse into the future, Lloyd?

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“Jan and I continued to work in our company until October 2020, when, in the middle of the Covid crisis, we sold the business and settled into retirement. We bought a caravan and started touring around the vast continent of Australia, predominantly during the Melbourne winter. Our first venture was a three month trip into NSW, Queensland and northern Queensland, taking in a few dog shows on the way and returning in time for the start of the cricket season. Since then, we have also done a trip but through central Australia via Alice Springs to Darwin and across to Northern Queensland, catching up with friends on the way. Overseas travel has always been high on our list and in 2024 we spent 6 weeks touring Croatia, Slovenia, Germany and 10 days in Vietnam on the way home.

Over the last couple of seasons, it’s been exciting to see the Club become involved with the St Bernards Old Collegians Cricket Club and welcoming some of its over 60 players to bolster our team which, year by year, is seeing players transitioning to the Over 70’s team.

Whilst the body allows I hope I can still be involved with Veterans cricket.”

 

On behalf of all members of Essendon Veterans Cricket Club we thank Lloyd for his outstanding service to the club and with the establishment of a stand alone Over 70 team in 2025-26 we have established a Lloyd Haley Champion Player O70 Award in honor of his outstanding contribution.