As the season comes to a close, former MP Andrew George celebrates 50 years at the crease in Cornish cricket.

Andrew first played at the age of eight along side his late brother Tim (then aged 10) and late father Hugh and fellow Mullion Georges, the late Edward and ‘Lively’ Leonard and other Mullion men at Manaccan on September 9, 1967.

He finished this season taking 5 wickets for 11 runs for Leedstown 1st team in a comfortable victory against Wendron on 2nd Sept. (He couldn’t play the last game of the season at the weekend because of his daughter Morvah’s wedding.)

Andrew said: “I enjoy a friendly and relaxed style of cricket. Competitive, but preferably in good humour, which is what Cornish cricket is at its best.

“It’s been a privilege to play and work alongside and against some amazing and talented cricketers and some wonderful people who have given so much to enable us to play: groundsmen, coaches and, most important of all, those who make the tea.

During his 50 years he’s played for Helston, Manaccan, Penzance and Leedstown. He’s played ‘up country’ too, having been a regular player and occasional captain of the House of Commons Cricket team.

His early ambitions of progressing at a county level were thwarted by the onset of debilitating ankylosing Spondylitis in his teens.

But he learnt to cope and eventually to mostly overcome over the years and find his level.

"I’ve enjoyed my time. I keep trying to retire, but we don’t seem to be encouraging enough young players to get involved. I’d happily give up my place to make way for the next generation.”