Pace bowler Michael Bates has been rewarded for the best season of his career by being named Auckland Cricketer of the Year at last nights Auckland Cricket Awards dinner.
Bates took a remarkable 66 wickets across the season in all competitions and those efforts also won him the New Zealand Cricket MVP Award (Most Valuable Player). Bates was the leading wicket taker for the Aces in every format of the game and was the man that provided the wickets when they needed them most.
Bates picked up 37 wickets in the Plunket Shield, 15 in the one day competition and 14 in the HRV Cup. He was the Aces most consistent performer at the bowling crease and that was borne out by him recording career best bowling figures in the last two games of the season in a year where he only missed one game.
* Image of Michael Bates receiving his award.
Other winners last evening were:
Womens Batsman of the Year - Victoria Lind (North East)
Consistency was the name of the game for Victoria this season as she played crucial innings when the Hearts really needed them. Her development as a player and ability to deliver on her promise has been recognised with her consistent selection in the Whiteferns one day side and with her at the helm the Hearts will be looking to go one better and take out a final next season.
Mens Batsman of the Year - Richard Jones (North Shore)
In what has proved to be his final season Richard has gone out with a bang, scoring runs seemingly at will. His tally of 953 runs in the Plunket Shield signified a fantastic season and he also signed off in the best way possible in his final game, posting 89 and an unbeaten 170 to lead the Aces to an outright victory. His last season, and this award, is a fitting testament to a stellar career with Auckland.
Womens Bowler of the Year - Natalee Scripps (Central West)
It is a fitting end to a momentous season for Natalee, as she proved that she is still in some of the best form of her career and quite capable of improving on the domestic wicket taking record that she already holds. Her wickets in the one day competition came at an excellent 16.62 and reflect just what an important component of the Hearts attack she is.
Mens Bowler of the Year - Michael Bates (Suburbs New Lynn)
Auckland International Cricketer of the Year - Martin Guptill (Suburbs New Lynn)
Last season Martin announced his arrival in emphatic fashion with a century on debut. There wasn't quite the same sense of drama about his 2009/10 season but there was undoubtedly plenty to show for it. He continued on where he'd left off in the one day arena with consecutive fifties in the ICC Champions Trophy to help the Blackcaps to the final. He also ticked maiden test century off the list with a mammoth 189 against Bangladesh, before finishing the season in the middle order in the test arena where he signed off with 58 against the Australians in the second test.
Young Cricketer of the Year - Andrew de Boorder (Howick Pakuranga)
A great reward for a season where Andrew combined consistency with the undoubted talent that everyone knew he possessed. His century in the first game of the Plunket Shield showed that he was capable of making the step-up and proved a good indication of the form that he carried through the rest of the season to become a regular in the Aces line-up.
Special Awards
Rowan Armour - 10 years as an Aces selector
Natalee Scripps - 150 wickets in women's domestic one day cricket (the only player to ever achieve this)
Michelle Lynch - 150* for Auckland Hearts v Canterbury Magicians, the highest ever score by a women for Auckland
Richard Jones - retirement after 17 years of first class cricket
- 4721 runs for Auckland including 12 centuries, a total that puts him second on the all time run scoring list for the province as well as 2343 runs and seven centuries for Wellington.
- Captain for four seasons who led the Aces to one day, twenty 20 and four day success.
