Cowra’s Matt Crawley has been recognised for his efforts as mentor of last season’s Country Championship winning Western Zone side, and will be presented with the NSW Country Coach of the Year award at this Saturday’s Country Cricket Annual Dinner at the Cobram Barooga Sports Club.
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Western progressed through the Southern Country Championships with two wins and loss before meeting Central Coast in the final at Ourimbah.
Crawley’s troops skittled the Coast side for 133 before cruising to victory with the loss of only three wickets.
“I said a couple of years ago that we were in a position to cement ourselves as one of the strong forces in country cricket and I see no reason to waiver from that statement,” Crawley said after the win.
CNSW Country Committee chairman Ian Hogg congratulated all the winners from what had been another strong season for cricket in regional and rural NSW.
“The quality of our award winners highlights that cricket continues to flourish right across our state,” Mr Hogg said.
“Cricket NSW has a strong, ongoing commitment to cricket in the bush.
“More than $3.7 million was invested in competitions, programs and personnel last season, which benefited male and female players of all ages.
“Cricket NSW also continues to support the playing of elite cricket in regional areas.
“The Blues played a Sheffield Shield match at Wollongong after matches were staged at Coffs Harbour, Newcastle and Wagga Wagga over the previous two years.
“Last season, the Sydney Thunder had a particularly successful Border Bash against the Melbourne Stars in Albury. A WBBL match for points, followed by a BBL practice match, attracted almost 10,000 fans to the Lavington Sports Ground.”
Dubbo’s Jordan Moran picked up the Josh Hazelwood Medal for NSW Country’s Male Player of the Year while Western’s Lisa Griffith’s secured the Alex Blackwell Medal for Female Player of the Year.
Moran averaged 61 at the top of the order for Western Zone last season.
Award winners
- Male Player of the Year – Josh Hazlewood Medal – Jordan Moran (Western)
- Female Player of the Year – Alex Blackwell Medal – Lisa Griffith (Western)
- Male Player of the CBA Australian Country Championships – Pat Darwen (Newcastle)
- Kookaburra Youth Country Player of the Year – Blake Macdonald (ACT Southern)
- NSW Country Media Award – Radio 2AY Albury
- NSW Country Groundsman of the Year – Lionel Billett (Nth Dalton Park – Wollongong)
- NSW Country Umpire of the Year – Graeme Glazebrook (Western)
- NSW Country Coach of the Year – Matt Crawley (Western)