Grant Elliott and Wellington Blaze and Sophie Devine were named the 2010/11 Men’s and Women’s Wellington Cricketers of the Year at last night’s end of season Cricket Wellington Norwood Awards held at the Hawkins Basin Reserve.
As well as scooping the top awards, Elliott and Devine also won three other major rewards between them, Elliott winning the Men’s best all-rounder award and Devine also collecting the Outstanding Batswoman and Outstanding Women’s Bowlers awards.
Other noted individual award winners were: Stephen Murdoch as the Men’s Outstanding Batsman, Andy McKay as the Men’s Outstanding Bowler, Harry Boam as the Men’s Outstanding Fielder and Andrea Stockwell as the Women’s Outstanding Fielder. Murdoch also won Wellington’s MVP award from the National U23 tournament, while Boam was presented with the Best Wellington U20 Cricketer and the Best U23 Cricketer of the Year awards.
Elliott and Devine are both no strangers to the overall award. Elliott is a former Wellington Men’s Cricketer of the Year in 2006/07 and 2007/08 and three time former winner Devine picked up a hat trick of Women’s overall awards having won it previously in 2008/09 and again last year, as well as in 2006/07.
Men’s Cricketer of the Year Elliott began the 2010/11 season playing with the BLACKCAPS in Bangladesh and India. Starting his season with the Firebirds, he scored 137 runs in five games at an average of 34.25. He then led from the front in the One-Day competition being the Firebirds top scorer with 313 at 44.71 as well as taking 9 wickets. In the Plunket Shield he was one of three players to score 500 runs getting 526. He was the leading run scorer for Wellington over all three forms of the game scoring 976 runs and also obtained useful wickets.
Women’s Cricketer of the Year Devine is an exceptional fielder and is extremely fit and disciplined. She is developing into a fine strategist and her ability to talk about the game and understand its complexities continues to be inspirational to her team mates. This was illustrated when she had to lead the Blaze when captain Megan Wakefield was injured.
She is one of the fastest bowlers in the country and is also one of the biggest hitters in the game. This is clearly shown in the first Action Cricket twenty 20 game against Northern Districts when she hit an unbeaten 99 off 53 balls. This included nine fours and five sixes.In games for the Blaze she scored over 600 runs in all forms of the game, and took 24 wickets. Devine also won the overall New Zealand domestic women’s Mitre 10 MVP title. Of note, Wellington Blaze teammate Lucy Doolan was second in the MVP standings.
In other highlights from the Norwood Awards, recently retired former Wellington Firebirds captain and BLACKCAPS opening batsman Matthew Bell was honoured in a special question and answer session, and Cricket Wellington scorer Ian Smith, who scored his 200th first-class game earlier in the season, was honoured.
Taita’s Mark Houghton won the Wellington club cricket Bruce Murray Medal, which recognises fair play in the Wilkinson Pearce Cup and Hazlett Trophy grades, as judged on a points system awarded by opposing captains throughout the season. Eastern Suburbs captain Lance Dry won the Wilkinson’s Pearce Cup (Premier grade) Men’s Club Cricketer of the Year Award and Matt Taylor took out the Wilkinson’s Hazlett Trophy (Senior grade) Men’s Club Cricketer of the Year accolade. Additionally, a special Wilkinson Pearce Cup Team of the Season was announced at the awards.
Norwood Award winners:
Men’s Cricketer of the Year: Grant Elliott
Women’s Cricketer of the Year: Sophie Devine
Men’s Outstanding Batsman: Stephen Murdoch
In the Plunket Shield games Murdoch scored 532 runs at an average of 53.20 including two centuries. In the National U23 competition he scored 478 runs including 225 not out. In club cricket Murdoch scored 617 runs.
Men’s Outstanding Bowler: Andy McKay
McKay played for the Black Caps overseas and made his Test debut this season. In just 5 Plunket Shield games he took 30 wickets at 20.00 including his first two five wicket hauls.
Men’s Best All-rounder: Grant Elliott
Elliott scored 526 Plunket Shield runs and 313 runs in one-day games. He took 9 Plunket Shield wickets at 30.1 and 7 one-day wickets.
Men’s Outstanding Fielder: Harry Boam
Women’s Outstanding Batsman: Sophie Devine
Devine scored 255 runs at 42.5 in fifty-over games and 349 at 69.8 in Twenty20 with a highest score of 99 not out.
Women’s Outstanding Bowler: Sophie Devine
Devine took 14 wickets in fifty-over games at 11.28 and 10 wickets in Twenty20s.
Women’s Outstanding Fielder: Andrea Stockwell
Umpire of the Year: Evan Watkin
Awarded to the Umpire who received the highest marks throughout the season in club fixtures.
Best and Most Enterprising Captain: Mark Houghton (Tawa)
Voted by the umpires who rank captains across the course of the season. Runner up: Damien Grant (Wellington Collegians)
Kilbirnie Sports Young Cricketer of the Year Award winners:
Recognising Wellington’s Most Valuable Players at National Age Group Tournaments. Age group qualifications is as at 1 September 2010.
Under 16 Boys: Rakitha Weerasundara
Under 18 Boys: Sean O’Connor
Secondary Schools Girls: Natasha Narasy
Women’s National Development Tournament MVP: Renee Moffitt
Under 23 National Tournament MVP: Stephen Murdoch
Outstanding Girls Under 20 player of the year: Madeleine Chapman
Eddie Cameron Cup (presented to the best under-age cricketer under 20): Harry Boam
Sir Walter Nash Trophy (the most outstanding male cricketer Under 23): Harry Boam
Club and Individual Awards
Bruce Murray Medal winner: Mark Houghton (Taita)
Recognises Fair Play in the Premier and Senior grades, with points being awarded by opposing captains throughout the season. Second place: Fraser Quarterman (Karori). Third place: Ronald Karaitiana (Naenae Old Boys)
AJ Cook Shield: Upper Hutt (646.19 points)
Awarded to the club with the highest aggregate points in the Hutt Valley. Second place: Taita (406.31 points). Third place: Petone Riverside: (381.70 points)
Hutt Valley Average Club Championships: Upper Hutt (80.77 points per team)
Awarded to the club with the highest average points per team in the Hutt Valley. To be eligible for this award, clubs must have a minimum of 5 teams. Second place: Naenae Old Boys (65.41 points per team). Third place: Hutt District: (60.53 points per team)
Royal Visit Cup: Eastern Suburbs (1198.11 points)
Awarded to the Wellington club with the highest aggregate points. Second place: Wellington Collegians (867.56 points). Third place Onslow (638.12 points).
Norwood Championship: Onslow (70.90 points per team)
Awarded to the Wellington club with the highest average number of points per team. To be eligible for this award, clubs must have a minimum of five teams. Second place: Eastern Suburbs (70.47 points per team). Third place: Karori: (68.28 points per team).
Best Lower Grade Performance: Duncan McIntyre
Awarded for the best performance in club cricket in grades from Senior 2 down. In a Wellington 2C game Easts Tigers scored 581-8 against Easts Bulldogs. Duncan McIntyre scored 265 of these. He also scored three other centuries during the season.
Marjorie Sweetman Memorial Trophy: Allex Evans, Wellington Collegians (28 wickets at 9.50)
Awarded to the person taking the most wickets in the senior women’s competition.
Joint Runners up: Maddie Chapman (Onslow) and Lucy Doolan (Hutt) with 20 wickets each.
Judith Sadler Memorial Trophy: Nicola Kaiwai, Onslow (303 runs at 37.88)
Awarded to the person who scores the most runs in the senior women’s competition.
Runner up: Renee Moffit (Onslow) with 271 runs
Betty Maker Memorial Trophy: Sophie Devine, (Johnsonville)
Awarded to the best all rounder in women’s cricket. Devine scored 250 runs and took 14 wickets in the Action Cricket Cup and 349 runs and 10 wickets in the Action Cricket Twenty20 for the Wellington Blaze.
Ron Murray Cup: Lance Dry, Eastern Suburbs (56 wickets at an average of 13.70. including two seven wicket bags with 7-55 his best)
Awarded to the person taking the most wickets in the Premier men’s grade. Second Julian Brown (Wellington Collegians, 53 wickets). Third: Fraser Quarterman (Karori,49 wickets)
Arthur Dick Cup: Marc Ellison, Karori (708 runs at an average of 37.26, including two centuries and two fifties with a highest score of 113* not out).
Awarded to the person who scored the most runs in Premier men’s grade. Second: Deepak Joon (Wellington Collegians, 664 runs). Third: Liam Chrisp (Onslow, 620 runs)
J Atkin Cup: Stewart Rhodes, Onslow (7-50 v Collegians)
Awarded to the best bowling performance in Premier men’s grade.
May Cup: Hamish Templeton, Karori (176 not out, in the Wilkinson’s Pearce Cup final against Eastern Suburbs).
Awarded for the best batting performance in Premier Cricket.
Sam Platt Cup: Lance Dry, Eastern Suburbs (In the Wilkinson’s Pearce Cup game against North City Lance scored his maiden club century (111) and took 7-55 when Easts bowled).
Awarded for best overall performance in Wellington Club Cricket.
Club Ground of the Year: Linden Park (Groundsman Brayden Rawlinson)
Awarded to the ground whose pitches have received the highest average marks from captains and umpires reports throughout the season.
Mike Curtis Cup: Marek Matuszewski (Chairman of Onslow). Marek organised funding for the new artificial wicket at Nairnville Park. This season Onslow have won the average points Club Championship.
Recognising Volunteer Service to Club Cricket.
Best and Fairest Club Team: Wellington Collegians
Voted by the umpires in Wilkinson Insurance Brokers Pearce Cup and Hazlett Trophy Grades.
The Premier and Senior Club Awards
Women’s Club Cricketer of the Year: Allex Evans (Wellington Collegians, 687 points)
One point is awarded for every run, ten points for each wicket and catch. One hundred bonus points are awarded for each century or five wicket bag. Runner up: Lucy Doolan (Hutt District, 544 points)
Men’s Club Cricketer of the Year: Lance Dry 1349 points (Eastern Suburbs, Pearce Cup) and Matt Taylor 1243 points (Upper Hutt, Hazlett Trophy)
One point is awarded for every run, ten points for each wicket and catch. One hundred bonus points are awarded for each century or five wicket bag.
Wilkinson Pearce Cup runners-up: Liam Chrisp (Onslow) with 1130 points (second), Julian Brown (Collegians) with 1098 points (third). Winner Lance Dry scored 389 runs at 35.36 including his maiden club century. He was the leading wicket taker with 56 wickets at 13.7 including two seven wicket bags.
Wilkinson Hazlett Trophy runners-up: Barry Rhodes (Johnsonville) with 1233 points (second), Leighton Morgan (Upper Hutt) with 1084 points(third). Winner Matt Taylor scored 733 runs at an average of 56.38 with two centuries. He also took 18 wickets at an average of 23.44.
Wilkinson’s Hazlett Trophy: Upper Hutt
Upper Hutt won the Wilkinson’s Hazlett Trophy for the One-Day Championship, The Wilkinson’s Hazlett Trophy for the Twenty20 Championship and the overall competition winner, the Wilkinson’s Hazlett Trophy.
Wilkinson’s Pearce Cup: Karori
Karori won the Wilkinson’s Pearce Cup, Premier grade One-Day Championship, The Wilkinson’s Pearce Cup Twenty20 Championship and the overall competition Wilkinson’s Pearce Cup title.
