Belstone Cricket Club - 2005 awards
Played 32, Won 16, Lost 14, Drawn 1, Abandoned 1
South Devon League Division Two: Played 12, won 7, lost 5. Finished joint second with Exeter but lost out on the second promotion spot to Division One because Exeter’s run-rate (5.1 an over) was higher than ours (4.3 an over) over the 12 games – must cut the grass shorter next season.
Hammond Bat Centurions
Not awarded – no centuries
Buckley Cup
Last year Yeoford shared the trophy with Tedburn St Mary, but this time they have won it outright with seven wins out of eight games and 90 points overall. They beat Belstone home and away and only lost to Tedburn St Mary. Skipper Paul Coren was present to receive the award from Tom Marshall.
The Woodward Cup for Batsman of the Year
Highest run scorer this year was Richard Drake with 678 runs at an average of 29.5, which was his best ever season for runs and average. This gives Richard a career aggregate of 4467 runs – only the second Belstone player (after Eddie Jones) to top 4000 runs. But the Woodward Cup always goes to the batsman with the best season’s average (who has played a minimum of ten innings). So no doubt that, with an average of 50 exactly, 350 runs and a top score of 80 not out, the winner is Johnny Coburn, in his first season with us. We just ask that you play more games next season – no best man duties please.
The Telecare Cup for best overall bowling average (minimum 50 overs in the season)
A good season for bowling and we had Jonathan Parsons and Andrew Paterson neck and neck all season, both finishing with the highest season tally of 39 wickets (Andy getting his 39th off the last ball he bowled in the season), Andy’s average being 15.1, Jonathan’s 14.7. Then came Chris Gomersall, by far the highest wicket-taker in the Club’s history, currently standing at 443 wickets in his career. Well, he did start in 1993 the Club’s first year. Still going strong this season with 103 overs bowled, another 34 wickets under his belt at an average of 13.3 apiece.
But pipping all these three was Aidan ‘Inzy’ Easterbrook whose fiery pace caused all the opposition batsman trouble. He last won this award in 2003 with 19 wickets at an average of 8.42; this year he managed 25 wickets (including a best of 5 wickets (in just 17 balls) for 16 runs in a Buckley Cup game against Tedburn) in 98 overs at an average of 12.5 apiece.
Fielding Award
This was a neck and neck race all season between Richard Drake, who has won the award six times in the previous seven years and Andrew Paterson. Drakey caught 12 this season, the same as last year, but Andy went one better with 13.
Duck Cup
This year’s winner had a hard act to follow to try and beat last year’s eight ducks from Dennis Edwards and sure enough, he couldn’t come close to that (sorry Dennis, had to get in a mention of that, plus the nine times run out). Only 5 ducks for this year’s winner, our wicket-keeper Johnny Carter, who unfortunately couldnt be with us – he just left for Loughborough University.
Barton Best Bowling Award – for the best bowling figures in a single match
I’ve already mentioned Aidan’s 5 for 16 against Tedburn. This was bettered by the best figures by any bowler since Chris Gomersall took 7 for 29 in 1999. It all happened in a home League game in August when Ashburton were all out for the amazingly low score of 31. In fact, this represented a bit of a recovery, for by the time our winner had finished his spell Ashburton were 13 for 8! So, with figures of 9 overs, 3 maidens, 6 wickets for 8 runs, our vice-captain Jonathan Parsons wins the award.
Best Young Cricketer
This year we’ve seen Scott ‘Goughie’ Tremain becoming a regular player for the senior team with 21 matches, and lots of good performances with bat and ball. But still young enough to qualify we’ve had Phil Woods playing 26 matches (and still finding time to sneak off to Bridestowe on Saturdays), scoring the second highest aggregate of the season, 514 runs, and making the highest score of the season, 90 against Buckfastleigh.
Belstone Ladies Cricket
Sue Jones was on holiday in Tenerife but before she went she completed another season as co-ordinator of the tea rotas, and we all know how important the teas are. Most Sunday home games she has been at the pavilion organising the urn, sorting out the interval drinks, tidying up the rubbish. And last year she and Lawrence re-fitted all the cupboards in the pavilion and produced the best-selling BCC mugs.
Good Servants Trophy
Chris Walpole had his worst season with the bat since 1996 – 61 runs at an average of 6.1 and he’s still won an award so there’s hope for everyone. It’s probably given for all that tractor driving around the outfield, the Oke Times journalism and endless working out of statistics.
Belstone Non-Playing Members Award
Goodness knows how someone who gets up at 4am every morning to deliver milk can find time to cut the grass, lay hedges and do lots of behind the scenes jobs at the ground, but Barry Woods certainly can. And he was lucky enough to be at the Oval for the last day of the Ashes series.
Clubman of the Year
This year the Clubman of the Year trophy has been decided by all the regular players voting on who they thought was the Player of the Year. The clear winner was Andrew Paterson, and it’s not hard to see why. In his first season with Belstone, he has scored 289 runs (top score 47 not out), won the Fielding Award with 13 outfield catches, and taken 39 wickets at an average of 15.1 apiece. And he’s currently developing the Belstone cricket web-site. And he’s back in this Hall in a couple of week’s time for his and Juliet’s wedding reception – we wish them all the best …….