The KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union was rewarded for its tireless work over the past season recently when players and administrators were acknowledged with seven awards at the Cricket South Africa Awards ceremony in Johannesburg over the weekend.
The glitzy day of awards started on Saturday morning with the CSA Domestic Awards where the KZN Cricket Union was in the running for a number of awards including Provincial Coach of the Year, where both KZN Inland’s Shane Burger and KZN Coastals’ Roger Telemachus were nominated, as well as the Hub of the Year and Coca-Cola Schools T20 Cricketer of the Year in the form of Hilton College’s James Ritchie – to name a few.
In the end KZN Cricket walked away with five awards, Shane Burger scooped Semi-Professional Coach of the Year, while KZN Cricket received Hub Programme of the Year, best Youth Programme of the Year and finally KZN Cricket on the whole received the award for most improved affiliate where they jumped a remarkable eight places to third.
Ritchie was also acknowledged as the best schools T20 cricketer at the awards.
“For me the aim when I started was to win the most improved union award and that is what we have done,” CEO Heinrich Strydom said, reflecting on his first year in his new position at the helm of KwaZulu-Natal cricket.
“To win that award was incredible for all of us at the Union and it goes to show that things off the field are going well in KZN.”
KZN Cricket then went on to win another two awards at the CSA Awards on the Saturday evening with Sarel Erwee winning Africa T20 Cup Player of the Tournament and Chloe Tryon taking home the Momentum Women’s T20 Player of the Year award.
“What is also hugely encouraging is the variety of awards that players and administrators won,” Strydom added.
“From a woman’s player, to a coach, to James Ritchie winning the Schools T20 Player of the Year as well as the administrators awards – it was a fantastic weekend!
“To win awards for our hub programme as well as our youth development programme just shows how much we are doing for the game at the lower levels.
“This development of young players is a great feeder for our Hollywoodbets Dolphins as well as the Proteas.”
The other KZN Cricket nominations included KZN Coastals’ coach Roger Telemachus in the Semi-Professional Coach of the Year category, Hollywoodbets Dolphins coach Grant Morgan was nominated in the Franchise Coach of the Year category, Jomo Mbili was a nominee in the RPC and Hub Coach of the Year category and KZN Inland spinner Nduduzo Mfoza was in the line-up for Africa T20 Cup Player of the Tournament.
Included in the list of nominees was Proteas and Dolphins spinner Keshav Maharaj who was nominated for the RAM Delivery of the Year.
More information can be found at www.dolphinscricket.co.za.
