IT shouldn't come as any surprise that Steve Newlan has been playing cricket for almost 40 years.
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After all, the Kangaroo Flat veteran has now been playing the game long enough to be in the same Roos' first XI side as his two sons, Josh, 20, and Nathan, 18.
Steve has played the Roos' past two Bendigo District Cricket Association first XI games against Strathfieldsaye and Bendigo with both his sons also in the team.
"It has been special playing in the firsts with the two boys and will be a great memory, especially since I've coached them both since they were about eight-years-old," Steve said.
While Steve has played senior cricket with Josh and Nathan, the past two games have been the first with all three in the first XI.
"I don't know how the kids will look back on it down the track. At the moment they probably don't think too much of it, they're just playing with their old man," Steve said.
"I quite often get sledged for being the old man out there and playing with my kids.
"But that's cricket, and at the end of the day, playing with their family is something that those blokes (sledging) probably won't get to do."
While Steve's veteran status may be the source of some sledging, the 49-year-old's value to the Roos was highlighted against Bendigo when he made 102 retired last month.
"I suppose there was a bit of luck there like always in cricket, but you take a hundred when you can get one, no matter how old you are," Steve said.
And keeper-batsman Josh had a big day with the bat against Strathfieldsaye last Saturday when he made a career-best 85.
Meanwhile, Steve has had a long-time involvement in junior development at Kangaroo Flat, which was highlighted in the fact that last week's team included not only his two sons, but Lachlan Shelton, Daniel Barber, Brent Hamblin, Chris Barber and Cameron Salmon, who he has also coached.