Durban – Over the past week the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union have announced the winners at their annual awards with batsman Grant Roelofsen taking home the prized awards of Hollywoodbets Dolphins Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season.
Roelofsen was awarded his first full franchise contract at the beginning of the season and hit the ground running in both the CSA 4-Day Domestic Series and then in the Momentum One Day Cup where he dominated the run-scoring charts.
The hard-hitting opening batsman was the highest run-scorer in the Dolphins’ successful Momentum One Day Cup campaign and ended in sixth for runs scored in the 4-Day Domestic Series. He also finished the white-ball campaign as the wicket-keeper with the most dismissals.
Roelofsen scored an impressive three centuries in the 4-Day Domestic Series with one fifty and then followed that up with one hundred and five fifties in the white-ball competition.
“It was quite an emotional season for us as a team,” Roelofsen said. “We didn’t start well at all but in the end we finished well which was great.
“In the second half of the four day competition we found a template for the side and started to gel well and the results were a testament to that.”
Roelofsen has been a crucial part of the Dolphins set-up this season and he has a clear idea of what he wants to do with the side.
“We just want to win more trophies and I want to be a part of that,” he added confidently.
For Daryn Dupavillon, the season peaked with a maiden call-up to the national side and a One Day International debut against Australia in Potchefstroom where be picked up his first international wicket.
The speedster joked about how it’s taken him six seasons at KZN Cricket to pick up the most improved player, however he was grateful that he could continue to contribute to the Dolphins following a tumultuous run of injuries.
“To have another full season of cricket was great for me and it means so much to me to be able to contribute to the Dolphins,” Dupavillon said.
“Then to get picked for the Proteas was another surreal experience because as I got called up I was honestly worried that I might lose my place in the Dolphins side!
“I really didn’t feel like I was bowling my best but I put in a good performance on the Friday night for the Dolphins and made my Proteas debut on Sunday – it was pretty unbelievable.”
Marques Ackerman was awarded the Fielder of the Year accolade which covers both red ball and white ball cricket.
Kehsav Maharaj, who led the Dolphins with aplomb in the Momentum One Day Cup, was awarded One Day Cup player of the Year while off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen took home the 4-Day Domestic Series Player of the Season gong.
In the provincial awards young Thamsanqa Khumalo picked up three Hollywoodbets KZN Coastal awards. He took home Provincial One Day Batsman and One Day Player of the Season as well as the Newcomer of the Season award.
Keith Dudgeon was awarded One Day Bowler of the Season, while Zak Paruk won 3-Day Bowler of the Season, Bradley Proteous won 3-Day Batsman of the Season while Michael Erlank won 3-Day Player of the Season.
Young Momentum Protea Nonkululeko Mlaba was awarded Hollywoodbets KZN Coastal Women’s Player of the Season.
For Hollywoodbets KZN Inland, Kurtlyn Mannikam won the two important awards taking home Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season.
The experienced Kyle Nipper won 1-Day Player of the Season while young recruit Cameron Shecketon won 3-Day Player of the Season.
