Northern Cape Cricket shows appreciation for players, umpires at awards ceremony.
THE NORTHERN Cape Cricket awards took place on Wednesday night at Kimberley’s Diamond Oval, and it was an eventful evening for all involved.
The MEC for Sport, Arts, and Culture, Desiree Fenies, was in attendance and addressed the audience on behalf of the Department.
Northern Cape Cricket president Gibson Molale also gave a heartfelt speech, expressing appreciation for the players’ hard work and dedication to the team.
It was abundantly clear that the Northern Cape Cricket Association aims to develop and promote cricket in the region, and the annual awards ceremony serves as a platform to encourage and motivate the players and umpires to continue working hard and striving for excellence.
Several awards were handed out during the ceremony, and it was a night to remember for the winners.
Northern Cape Heat coach, Mark Charlton, said that he is delighted with his team’s effort after winning the CSA 4-Day Division 2 title for a second year running, though they the team fell just short of gaining promotion to Division 1.
Even the ‘trigger fingers’ were shown appreciation with Jerard Solomons being awarded the umpire’s Newcomer of the Season award, while Confidence Mayekiso won the Umpires’ Umpire of the Season award, which was accepted by Itumeleng Mjoli.
Gerhard Marais was awarded the Umpire of the Season award, and he was commended for his consistency and dedication throughout the season.
In the players’ category, Tshepo Ntuli won the Best Bowler of the Northern Cape Heat award, while Rivaldo Moonsamy was awarded the Best Batsman of the NC Heat. The captain of the NC Heat, Ernest Kemp, was awarded the Best Player of the Year and the Players’ Player award, a testament to his leadership and on-field performance.
The awards were well-deserved, and the players and umpires expressed their gratitude for the recognition received on the night.
