Season’s top achieversearn praise

The best in local cricket during the 2016-17 season were acknowledged at West Pilbara Cricket Association’s annual awards presentation night last week.

The M. Saunders champion club award for best overall performances in the competition went to Karratha Kats, who only dropped one game on their way to becoming the 40-over premiers for a second consecutive year.

Grant Butler, of Pegs Creek Crabs, was named overall champion player for the season after earning a total of 670 points, and also won the 40-over champion player accolade with 515 points.

Dampier Taverners’ Adrian D’Cunha took out Twenty20 champion player with 244 points

Rec Cub’s Sam O’Hare won the fielding award, bowling aggregate was jointly won by Shazad Gondal, of Baynton Lions and Robbie du Preez, with 20 wickets each, while the bowling average award went to Kats’ Michael James (17 wickets at 7.94).

D’Cunha took home the batting aggregate award (439 runs) and the batting average was won by Kats’ Cameron Nowotny (270 runs at 90).

Rounding out the night’s individual award winners were Taverners’ James O’Brien, who was unanimously voted best under-18s player after impressing in his first season of cricket, and former president Gavin Paterson for years of outstanding service to the WPCA.

“We are extremely grateful for Gavin’s tireless work over the years and the association is better for it,” new WPCA president Nathan Hampson said.

WPCA’s new executive committee members for the 2017-18 season was also announced on the night.

Hampson said it had been a season of good-quality cricket, helped by the addition of some experienced extra players to the association.

“The competitiveness of the clubs has also evened up,” he said.

“In the final round of the 40-over competition, Karratha Kats were the only team to have secured a finals birth. Four other teams were fighting it out for the remaining three finals positions. In past seasons, the top four have been all but decided by the final round.”

He said youth development, umpiring and expanding local participation at WA Country Week would be focuses next season.