Old Hill CC were delighted to celebrate the 104th birthday of Ron Dovey, former President and Captain of the club on Boxing Day.

To mark the occasion a delegation from the club including current President Sheila Price, Chairman Mo Javaid and league bowling legend Peter Bagley visited Ron and his wife Lorna. Ron was in good form as ever and happy to discuss his cricket-playing days.

Ron has been associated with Old Hill since starting out as a junior player back in the 1930's and became renowned as a classy batsman and a useful bowler in league cricket.

In an age where the ball often dominated the bat, Ron twice passed 500 runs for the season and made three league centuries for the club – the first of these being an unbeaten 122 against Mitchells & Butlers in 1943.  

Ron signed a county contract to play for Worcestershire but this never came to pass because of the outbreak of World War II.  Ron served in the armed forces during the war and returned to the cricket field whenever he could while on leave.

Ron's greatest on-field achievement was captaining Old Hill to the Birmingham & District Cricket League title in 1960. Having come close to landing the crown in 1956 and 1959, the club secured its third league title losing only one match in the entire season.

Ron and his brother Harold both contributed vital runs and wickets during the campaign, backing up leading lights pace bowler Harry Kelleher (51 wickets) and Harry Moule (624 runs).

Ron retired from playing a couple of years after this triumph but remained a devoted servant of the club, holding many positions and becoming the longest-serving Club President before his final bow in the mid-1990's.  

After many years living locally, Ron and Lorna relocated to be nearer family but are still very much remembered and cherished as part of the Old Hill family.