Northern Districts Cricket hosted their 26th Annual Awards event at SKYCITY Hamilton on Thursday night, showcasing all that was good about the 2013-14 season.
The year that the SKYCITY Northern Knights first won the HRV Twenty20 and booked their flights to the Champions League in India will be the standout memory from this season.
Scott Kuggeleijn won the coveted Cricketer of the Year trophy in his first season back in Hamilton, after previously having played for Wellington. His performance this season stood out in all forms of the game amassing 58 wickets across the HRV Twenty20, Ford Trophy and Plunket Shield.
Nicola Browne won the Women's Cricketer of the Year award for the 9th time in her career, having had a standout year for the Spirit and the WHITE FERNS.
All award winners
Northern Districts cricketer of the year
This award goes to the most outstanding player for the SKYCITY Northern Knights in domestic competitions – the HRV Twenty20, the Ford Trophy one-day, and the Plunket Shield. This year’s winner took 58 wickets across all formats. This is an outstanding achievement in its own right. But, in addition, he played a number of innings that helped the Knights win games. Most of these innings required quick runs off relatively few deliveries. And in the context of the Knights’ season and the winning of the HRV Twenty20, who can forget his 22 not out off only 7 balls to take the Knights to a glorious victory and on to India.
The Northern Knights’ cricketer of the year award goes to SCOTT KUGGELEIJN.
Women’s Cricketer of the Year award
This award is for the most outstanding Northern Districts’ female cricketer. Performances over the whole season at all levels are taken into account, but impact on the Northern Spirit team’s performance is to be a major consideration.
This year’s winner is NICOLA BROWNE. Nicola has won this award on numerous occasions in her outstanding career. This season she was easily the Spirit’s top run scorer with 540 runs and was the second most successful bowler, her 12 wickets being bettered only by Felicity Leydon-Davis with 14 wickets. In the one-day games Nicola averaged 68 and was the competition’s second highest run scorer. Nicola also took 8 catches for the Spirit.
The individual player awards for the Knights take into account achievements at all levels, but the key criteria is their impact on the performance of the Knights.
SKYCITY Northern Knights bowler of the year
This award has been in the almost exclusive possession of Brent Arnel and Graeme Aldridge in recent seasons. This season, however, a new winner emerged. With 29 wickets in the Plunket Shield he was our top wicket taker in that format, ahead of Graeme Aldridge’s 25. His 22 wickets in the Ford Trophy were the most by any bowler in that competition. And he added a further 7 wickets in the HRV Twenty 20. Mere statistics do not reflect his real value to team results. He could be relied on to take wickets at the top of the order and wickets when they were needed late in the limited overs games. Sometimes he could be expensive, but it was his role to take wickets, not conserve runs. And with an outstanding 58 wickets for the season he certainly took wickets.
SCOTT KUGGELEIJN is the SKYCITY Northern Knights Bowler of the Year.
SKYCITY Northern Knights fielder of the year
BJ Watling is firmly established as New Zealand’s No.1 test match wicketkeeper. Rightly or wrongly, he was selected only for test matches this season, not for limited overs internationals. This meant he was free to play a full part in all of the Knights’ HRV Twenty20 games and almost all of the Ford Trophy matches, as well as a number of Plunket Shield matches. In all, he took 32 catches and 5 stumping’s. BJ’s standards never wavered. His glove work was immaculate all season. The role of the wicketkeeper in raising and maintaining the standards of a team’s fielding should not be under estimated. In a team that prides itself on it’s fielding, BJ played a pivotal role.
BJ WATLING is the SKYCITY Northern Knights fielder of the year
SKYCITY Northern Knights batsman of the year
DANIEL FLYNN is the SKYCITY Northern Knights batsman of the year.
Daniel was a clear winner of this award. He scored the most runs for the Knights in the HRV Twenty20, 278 runs. He scored the most runs in the Plunket Shield, 775 runs [including 2 centuries], and he scored 340 runs in the Ford Trophy, the second most runs by a Knights’ batsman just behind BJ Watling. In all, he amassed 1,393 runs for the Knights, well ahead of the next highest run scorer, Daryl Mitchell with 935. That he managed to do this and score 6 ducks as well just shows what a game of highs and lows cricket can be!
Eric Petrie Cup
Eric Petrie was one of NZ’s greatest ever wicketkeepers and Northern Districts’ Captain in the 1950’s. The cup is awarded to the winner of the Northern Districts Club Championship. This season’s final was between Pukekohe Metro from Counties Manukau and Mount Maunganui from Bay of Plenty.
This season’s winner is PUKEKOHE METRO. Pukekohe Metro are currently playing in the National Club finals at Cornwall Park in Auckland.
Basil McBurney Trophy
Basil McBurney was a long serving Northern Districts’ administrator and selector. This trophy is for the District Association Development team competition. The winner this season was HAMILTON.
Women’s District Association Championship Cup
This season the Women’s Championship was played as a round robin using a 40 over one-day format. The winner is WAIKATO VALLEY.
Brian Dunning Cup
The Brian Dunning Cup is for the men’s one-day championship. The cup is in honour of Brian Dunning who was one of Northern Districts Cricket’s longest serving players, his career spanning 17 seasons in the 1960’s and 70’s. This year’s winner of the Brian Dunning Cup is HAMILTON.
Fergus Hickey Rosebowl
The Fergus Hickey Rosebowl, named in honour of another long serving administrator and selector, is awarded to the champion District Association team and is determined by points gained in both one-day and two-day games. As has been the case in recent seasons, this competition was not decided until the final day. Even then, Hamilton and Northland finished equal on points. However, Northland had beaten Hamilton in the only completed match between the two teams and was declared the winner on count back.
Young cricketer of the year - sponsored by GB Sports
This is presented to the most outstanding male cricketer under the age of 21. This trophy can be won only once. Recent winners have included Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, BJ Watling, Trent Boult, Anurag Verma, Daryl Mitchell and Ish Sodhi.
This year’s winner is Joe Carter.
Joe enjoyed an outstanding debut season in the Plunket Shield. Playing every game for the Knights in that competition, he amassed 674 runs at an average of 44 runs per innings. Although a maiden first class century eluded him, scores of 81, 95, 86, and 87 showed his ability to score at this level. Joe also played 7 games in the Ford Trophy one-day competition, scoring another 133 runs to give him a season aggregate for the Knights of over 800 runs – a great first season.
District Association player of the year
This award recognises the achievement of players at District Association level in the Fergus Hickey and Brian Dunning competitions. Opposing team captains award points on a 3,2,1 basis to the best players in each game.
This year’s winner is Josh Bates.
In the Fergus Hickey competition Josh scored 386 runs at an average of 48 runs per innings. This included a century off only 71 balls against Hamilton, 97 off 60 balls against Waikato Valley, and 73 off 49 balls against Bay of Plenty. He also took 9 wickets with his medium pacers. These performances saw Josh selected for ND A in the two one-day games against Auckland A in February, where he scored 46 and 32 not out to cap an outstanding season.
Men’s A Team player of the year
This is an award that recognises the efforts of players in the Northern Districts A team. This season’s ND A team played 18 games across the three formats of Twenty20, One Day and Three Day cricket.
This year’s winner is Mitchell Santner.
Mitchell’s progress this season shows the value of our A team programme. Strong and regular competition in the A team prepares players for the step up to the Knights. Mitchell’s form for the A’s, scoring over 500 runs and taking 20 wickets, saw him promoted to the Knights for the later rounds of the Plunket Shield and for the Ford Trophy.
McCaw Lewis Maori Player of the Year
This is a new award sponsored by McCaw Lewis Lawyers. For the past three years Northern Districts Cricket has been active in promoting cricket as a sport for Maori. Too often talented young Maori cricketers have dropped out of cricket on leaving secondary school. The Northern Maori representative team was set up to provide a player pathway for young Maori players. This season the team toured to Rarotonga, playing four T20 games against the Cook Islands national team. They also played games against a combined Wellington and Central Districts Maori team, against the NZ Croatian team, and against Waikato University. They won all their games. The outstanding performer was Josh Bates, who played several match winning innings and also provided at least one match winning bowling spell.
This year’s winner is Josh Bates from Poverty Bay.
Northern Spirit Outstanding Performance award
This is only awarded when there is an outstanding individual performance in a match. This season there was such a highlight. Against Otago, Brooke Kirkbride not only took a hat-trick (3 wickets in 3 successive balls), she took 4 wickets in a single over, a rare event in cricket.
Umpire of the Year Award: Ross Kneebone from Northland Cricket
The "Umpire of the Year" award takes into consideration appointment and performance at all levels of cricket, but the key criteria is the Umpire's involvement in competitions and tournaments within Northern Districts.
This year's recipient, Ross Kneebone of Northland, enjoyed a lengthy representative playing career with Hamilton, Thames Valley, and Northland. he has since made a smooth transition from player to umpire, earning rapid promotion to the panel of
Northern Districts umpires who stand in the Fergus Hickey competition. Ross has also been appointment to Northern Districts A team games. Ross received consistently high marks from our District Association captains in the Fergus Hickey competition. They especially noted his accurate decision making and his excellent relationship with the players.
The Allan McBride Trophy (for services to junior cricket): Lyn Govenlock from Te Puke Cricket
This trophy is awarded to a person who has made a significant contribution to junior cricket over a period of time. Recent winners have tended to be teachers or fathers who have come into cricket to support their children and have stayed on beyond their own children’s involvement.
In 2014 it is a refreshing change to recognise a mother who has followed that path.
Lyn Govenlock of Te Puke in the Bay of Plenty Cricket Association began her involvement in junior cricket in 2000 when her daughters began to participate in what was then called Milo Cricket.
By 2001 Lyn was on the Te Puke Junior Cricket Management Committee and in 2002 she became the coordinator for Milo Cricket in the Te Puke area. As Lyn says “so began a long career of Milo Cricket with team practices, transporting players to games, scoring, and sorting out gear bags.” Lyn continued in this role until 2013.
In 2005 Lyn became the Te Puke delegate on the Western Bay Junior Cricket Committee, continuing in that role until 2013.
She became a key person in the organising of the annual “Battle of the Bridge” tournaments in Western Bay of Plenty, helping organise teams, arrange prizes, and running the inevitable sausage sizzle.
Lyn attended a NZ Cricket Level 1 coaching course in 2004 and helped at practices in a club which had expanded from 2 teams in 2001 to 7 teams by 2006. She also managed a team on Saturdays.
In 2007 Lyn was proactive in going to schools in the district to set up girl’s teams. This initiative led to Monday night cricket for girls and a successful Rainbow Cup tournament for Year 5 and 6 girls.
From 2007 to 2012 Lyn was President of Te Puke Junior Cricket and since stepping down has remained as secretary. Junior cricket everywhere needs people like Lyn Govenlock. They are vital to the growth and survival of cricket in many areas. Lyn is a very worthy winner of the Allan McBride Trophy for 2014.
Service to Cricket: Joe Stoupe from Counties Manukau Cricket
Joe Stoupe is recognised for a lifetime contribution to cricket.
Joe played his cricket for the Glenbrook and Waiuku Cricket Clubs in what was then Franklin, later to become Counties Manukau. Joe was a fast bowler who won Waiuku’s bowling trophy for most wickets in a season on six occasions.
He began his administrative career as the club delegate to Counties Manukau in 1959 and served in that position for 20 years. He also became the groundsman for Waiuku Cricket Club and was also their Secretary Treasurer.
At the end of his playing days he took up umpiring and reached first class level. In later years he became President of Counties Manukau Cricket Association before taking on the role as Chairman of the Match Committee with responsibility for draws, points, results and disputes.
Joe has played a major role in the administration of umpiring in both Counties Manukau and Northern Districts Cricket. For many years he has been responsible for the appointment of umpires to District Association representative fixtures in Northern Districts and has been a member of the panel responsible for the grading of umpires.
Joe has had Life Memberships bestowed on him by The Waiuku Cricket Club, the Counties Manukau Cricket Association, and the Northern Districts Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association.
For his contribution to cricket over a period exceeding 50 years, Joe Stoupe is recognised with the Northern Districts Cricket Service to Cricket Award for 2014.
NZ Cricket Service to Cricket Award: Peter Bennett of Morrinsville
Peter Bennett wins the Service to Cricket award after years of service to cricket in the Waikato Valley. Since 1958 Peter has undertaken many voluntary roles within the Waikato Valley area. His roles have included; coaching and managing teams, secretary, treasurer, and president at various cricket clubs, sub associations, and associations, as well as managing grounds. Peter began preparing wickets as a fourth former at Morrinsville College in 1958. After returning several years later he took up wicket preparations again and has continued as the Morrinsville groundsman ever since. His Morrinsville pitch has even hosted first class cricket.
Peter has also been responsible for the fundraising and installation of thirteen artificial cricket pitches to provide better facilities for junior players. The value of Peter’s contributions cannot be measured. He has made a huge difference to an enormous number of young cricketers and their families.
Peter has also been recognised with life memberships at Tatuanui Cricket Club, Morrinsville Cricket Association and Waikato Valley Cricket Association.
