SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - SWD’s cricket stalwart and main strike bowler, Gurshwin Rabie, who bagged the second most wickets in the Cricket South Africa Sunfoil Three Day competition the past season, was awarded the Standard Bank trophy as player of the season during the SWD Cricket Annual Awards function that was held at the Bravo Lounge at the Garden Route Casino in Mossel Bay on Friday evening.
He took 41 wickets – one less than Dale Deeb of Gauteng at an average of 20.8 with a best bowling analysis of 5/41. Rabie also won this award in the 2011/12 season and in 75 first class matches he bagged 272 career wickets.
The various league winners – Union Stars (Premier League), Western Hope (Promotion League), Union Stars B (Reserve League), Union Stars (Twenty20 competition) and Union Stars (Women’s League) - received their trophies whilst the outstanding performers in the league completion were also honoured.
The versatile and promising Neil Hornbuckle, who was the top runs scorer and took the third most wickets, was the Premier League player of the season whilst John Koopman (Kranshoek Cobra’s Cricket Club) and Jean Heunis (Union Stars), who recorded similar achievements in the Promotion and Twenty20 league, was awarded as the Promotion League and Twenty20 league player of the season. Sheldon Eksteen (Union Stars), with his versatile performances with bat and ball in the Reserve League, was the player of the season in this league. Star performer, Miceala Andrews, was the player of the season in the Women’s League.
Jean Heunis, who was selected for the SA Colts team, was the High Schools Player of the Season whilst Liam O’Sullivan who produced outstanding performances at the CSA U/13 National tournament was the Primary Schools Players of the season.
Other category award winners were Felencia Stuurman (Scorer of the Season), George Nieuweveldt (Umpire of the Season), Japhtha Julies (Bridgton Sport Ground – Groundsman of the Season), Jason Baartman (Player of the Season; Players with Disabilities), Monriano Fortuin (LSEN Player of the Season) and Miceala Andrews (Girls u/19 player of the season). Annemie Koen who was the top run scorer in the CSA Women’s Competition – 217 runs at an average of 72.33 and a strike rate of 108 was awarded as the SWD Senior Women’s player of the season.
The Union Stars Cricket Club of Oudtshoorn, who dominated domestic club cricket during the past season, was awarded the Simon Swigelaar Floating Trophy. The SWD Academy team that was unbeaten at the CSA Provincial Academies tournament received the award as representative provincial team of the year.
Five members that passed away during the past year – Richard Africa and David Groenewald (both former SWD administrators, players and selectors), Jimmy van Wyk (former SWD player), Eugene Piedt (SWD Schools and Club player of Union Stars) and Siyabonga “Gift” Zondi who was the Black African Cricket Coordinator in the Bitou region – were all honoured with a roll of honour award.
Albertus Kennedy (CEO), Johan Weyers (Amateur Manager), Zenobia Nel (Corporate Affairs Administrator), Pieter Stuurman (Club and Facilities Coordinator) and Gary Moos (KFC Mini Cricket Administrator) who all have ten years continuous service received the Long Service Bronze certificate.
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