The awards, which are open to all cricketing organisations in the Tees Valley region, have been hosted by the NYSD for a number of years now on behalf of Durham, and a packed house of almost 400 filled the Marton Hotel and Country Club to pay tribute to the winners.
Darlington’s Jonny Barnes was a popular winner in the Player of the Year category, the evergreen seamer enjoying a wonderful summer in which he claimed 77 league wickets at a remarkable average of 8 apiece, as well as scoring over 300 runs, most of those arriving at crucial times as his side became NYSD Premier Division champions for the first time in 24 years.
The Emerging Player category recognises youngsters, and this season’s award went to Great Ayton paceman Joe Marsay who, at just 17 years of age, was the third leading amateur wicket taker in the NYSD Premier Division, with only two professionals returning better averages. He also featured in Ayton’s run to the last four of the national club T20, helped the NYSD retain the North East under 21 championship, and played for Durham’s Academy side.
The Outstanding Services to Cricket Award went to Darlington RA’s Rodger Darbyshire who received a standing ovation from the whole room when he was announced. Rodger has done every job going for his club over the last 50 years and his citation ended ‘Without this man I have no doubt that our club would now merely be a footnote in the history of North East cricket – his is the glue that has held our club together for years’