Scott Macbeth was tonight named Radio Foyle Player of the Year at the North West Annual Dinner.
The Brigade all-rounder was the stand-out choice after a superb season for the Premiership champions, topping both the batting (766 runs at 40) and the bowling (44 wickets at 13) as the Beechgrove side ended the season with a nine-match winning run to romp to the title, the winning margin a huge 53 points.
The prestigious Michael Bannigan Player of the Year went to Glendermott bowler Ben Mills who was the leading wicket-taker in the championship with 26, although it will be another season in the second tier for Brigade’s neighbours as they finished third in the table, behind promoted Fox Lodge and St Johnston.
Warriors captain Andy McBrine was the team’s Player of the year, although he was an obvious absentee as earlier in the day he scored his fifth half-century for Ireland in the first Test match against Bangladesh in Sylhet.
Macbeth also picked up the Premiership batting award but the bowling award went to Harry Zimmermann who also took 26 wickets for Ardmore. The Australian-born all-rounder will be playing his cricket in the NCU next season with North Down.
The Women’s Senior Player of the year was Fox Lodge's Mollie Devine, who also won the Section One bowling award, with Ballymagorry team mate Sarah Black receiving the top section’s batting award.
The Women Warriors’ Player of the Year was presented to Eglinton opening bowler Jenni Jackson.
The Coach of the year is Darren Young, who oversaw Bonds Glen U13 girls’ treble winning season, following their League and Cup double with the All-Ireland title.
The Club Person of the year is Alfie Smallwoods from Brigade who helped with the club’s youth development this year and played a vital role in the organising of this year’s Senior Cup final.
St Johnston's Michael Rankin received the Harry Henderson Fair Play award for “always walking when he knew he was out even when his club (St Johnston) were fighting for promotion”.
The most popular winner of the night was one of their own as North West CU president, the inimitable Connie McAllister was presented with the Services to North West cricket award.
The citation read: “This award marks a lifetime of service to cricket in the region, first as a player with Ardmore, then a club and international umpire, on to an administrator and more latterly for the past six years as our President. Connie has shown so much dedication to cricket in the NWCU and we are forever grateful. He even broke records this year by attending seven presentations in one day!”
Other award winners at the Dinner in the White Horse Hotel were: Jack Semple Young Player: Gavin Roulston, Jack Glenn Youth Player: Travis Faulkner. Women’s Young Player: Millie Spence; Youth Player: Anna McGurk. Premier 2 batting: Issac Bird; bowling: Ben Mills. Women’s Division 2 batting: Jodie Spence; bowling: Alix Dalzell.
League 1 batting: Vivek Sheoran; bowling: Rammohan Goud Sama. League 2 batting: Matthew Caulfield; bowling: Vaibhav Puttahanumaiah. League 3 batting: Jamie McCombe; bowling: Marc Fleming. League 4 batting: Jamie Reid; bowling: Graeme Stevenson. League 5 batting: Neelansh Singh; bowling: Rinu Matthew. League 6 batting: Adam Warnock; bowling Harry Robinson.
