Red Apple Emporium was filled with people talking one language, and that was the language of cricket, at the Grahamstown Cricket Board (GCB) prize giving last Friday.
Excitement was written all over the faces of those who were waiting to be awarded for all their hard work.
GCB vice president Andrew Marshall welcomed everyone who was present at the prize giving and handed over to President Leon Coetzee who opened the prize giving officially and thanked all of the cricket clubs for their dedication and their well-kept grounds.
“Congratulations to all the winners. We really had a very tough season. It is always hard and tough on the fields. It gets bad sometimes, some guys don’t even shake hands after the end of the game, but people persevere and play most of the games with dedication and loyalty,” Coetzee said.
“As the cricket board we would like to congratulate everyone whose getting an award here tonight – you guys deserve it.”
After the handover of the certificates and trophies to the cricket players and clubs, cricket coordinator and umpiring official Barry Smith was recognised as well for his hard work and dedication to the GCB over the years.
“Tonight I would like us to stand up and recognise Barry Smith for his hard work; we celebrate this remarkable person who loves cricket more than he loves himself, the one person who only talks about cricket throughout his entire conversations. Tonight we celebrate him for his remarkable work, he is an amazing individual who we can never replace,” Coetzee said.
Awards:
Highest batting aggregate: 1st league James Stirk (Salem), 2nd league Lorimmer Pittway
Most Wwckets fast bowler: 1st league Murray Hobson (Southwell), 2nd league Thanduxolo Shotan (Rainbows)
Most wickets slow bowler: first league: 1st league Adam Lotton (Southwell), 2nd league John Knott (Southwell)
Best all-rounder: 1st league Steven Gornall (Cuylerville), 2nd league Franklin Jacobs (Station Hill)
Umpires awards: Senior umpire Ant Bowdler and Barry September, rookie umpire Mike Goldschagg
Scorer award: senior scorer Franklin Jacobs
President’s award for service: Barry Smith
Rural player of the year: Maquin Loutz
Winners of the Bathurst 1st league: Southwell
Winners Central Albany league: Sidbury
Runners-up 1st league club of the year: Southwell
Club of the year: Salem
BY NTOMBENTSHA MSUTU
