TAVISTOCK cricketer Andy Gauler has declared his ‘innings closed’ after a marathon spell of 49 years with the club.

Gauler, a miserly seam bowler and competent middle-order batsman, has been as much of a permanent fixture at the Ring as the stone posts surrounding the ground, from which it takes its name.

Gauler had to overcome numerous health issues – notably type one diabetes and tuberculosis – just to get out on the cricket field in the first place, never mind playing for as long as he did.

Tavistock Cricket Club has been centre stage for Gauler as a player first and second team skipper, groundsman and administrator for nearly half a century. But not any longer.

“Every year since 1977, Tavistock has always taken precedence over pretty much everything else,” said Gauler, who is 61.

“Over the last half a century, I have captained the club on numerous occasions, in good times and bad, won things and lost things, won fights and lost them and have only been suspended twice!

“As I leave, I am so happy and proud of the current state of affairs at the club which is in such a strong position on and off the field. That was certainly not the case when we were fielding second teams with seven or eight players not that long ago.”

Gauler has lived with type one diabetes since the age of 23, which has been a struggle to manage at times during games.

“The ebb and flow of cricket, is not good for diabetics, but I refused to let the condition define my life,” said Gauler.

“Thanks to everyone over the years who stuffed me with chocolate, when I was wobbling and talking gibberish, especially Clive Johns, who found me on the changing room floor during tea at Plymstock in a ‘hypo’, having been run-out for 98.”

Gauler has accumulated broken ribs, busted fingers and a dislocated shoulder playing cricket, which he described as ‘run-of-the-mill injuries’. More serious was a bout of tuberculosis that laid him low for a while in 1985.

“My lungs regained capacity fairly quickly, leaving me only with a big scar on my right lung,” said Gauler.

“I am sure the fact I continued to breath came as somewhat of a disappointment to some…”

No doubt keeping fit playing league squash for Tavistock then Okehampton for more than 30 years helped Gauler’s recovery.

The late Geoff Husband, a playing contemporary back in the 1970 and 1980s, told Gauler he doubted if anyone had played as many games or taken as many wickets for the club.

Steve Luffman, who played with and against Gauler, said Husband wasn’t wrong:

“His patient batting at the top of the order, and nagging outswing bowling, brought him thousands of runs and hundreds of wickets whilst his fierce will to win made him a tremendous competitor,” said Luffman.

“The possessor of a fine pair of hands he regularly grabbed catches in the gully that he had no right to touch.”

Exact figures are hard to come by – league records are patchy at best – but as recently as 2018, Gauler claimed 29 wickets at less than 16 runs each. Between 2001-2010 there was seldom a summer when he claimed fewer than 20 wickets in the first team.

Gauler did almost as much off the field as on it in roles varying from social secretary, bar committee, white-line painter, pitch scarifier and pitch roller driver. In recent years he has become a trustee of the club.

Dave Manning, who was a schoolboy debutant in the first team under Gauler’s captaincy, is now Tavistock’s chairman. He remembers how Gauler always encouraged the selection of young players.

“Andy was adamant myself and other talented youngsters should be playing and fulfilling key roles, not just making up the numbers,” said Manning. “Despite many dissenting views amongst the selection committee at the time, it is a belief he holds firm to this day. If they are good enough get them in.”

Luffman said the club had a lot to be grateful to Gauler for, adding: His devotion to Tavistock CC will be sadly missed, but the whole club wish him all the best in retirement and hope to see him soon at the bar on match days.”