Cape Town - With the afterglow of the CSA Awards results still very much in the air, the Gauteng Cricket Board (GCB) and bizhub Highveld Lions are giving credit to each and every recipient of the 21 awards received by the affiliate and the franchise yesterday.
“It still seems like a bit of a dream but the reality is that each and every one of these awards was so very well deserved and is the result of tremendous hard work,” commented Chief Executive, Greg Fredericks.
“The GCB has been focussing on building our performance on and off the field brick by brick and to me this shows that, even though we have a long way to go, we have made great progress and identified the direction that we want to grow in.”
“It is incredibly significant te have players like Kagiso Rabada, Temba Bavuma and Stephen Cook claiming National Recognition Awards after coming through our cricket pipeline and succeeding beyond expectations at international level. This is the best showcase of cricket in Gauteng that we can hope for.
“What I believe shows great promise for the future is the fact that we can also boast three awards in the domestic category as well as two in the operations and another eight in the amateur cricket categories. I am proud of the manner in which Bethuel Buthelezi was rewarded for an astounding first season as the Head Groundsman at Bidvest Wanderers Stadium. The GCB Scorers Association continues to administer the game at an exceptionally high standard.”
“Wiaan Mulder absolutely dominated the youth awards category and that shows great promise for this young player.
“Congratulations to all of these awards recipients, as well as the army of family, supporters, fans, coaches, mentors and administrators that stand behind each one of them. It is often said that it takes a village to raise a family but I strongly believe that it also takes a village to develop a cricket player.”
President of the GCB and Chairman of the bizhub Highveld Lions, Thabang Moroe, sees this as a proud moment for the two organisations. “The past has not always been rosy for the GCB and the Lions remember all too well that there was a time that we hit bottom of the log in all three competitions. I am proud to be associated with these sport bodies.
“I hope that this is only the beginning of a significant contribution from our organisations to South African cricket and society at large. To echo the sentiment of the late Nelson Mandela, sport has the power to unite us and inspire a better South Africa.”
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS: NATIONAL
Castle Lager Test Cricketer of the Year: Kagiso Rabada
Castle Lager ODI Cricketer of the Year: Kagiso Rabada
SA Players’ Player of Year: Kagiso Rabada
SA Fans’ Player of the Year: Kagiso Rabada
KFC ‘So Good’ Award: Temba Bavuma
RAM Delivery of the Year: Kagiso Rabada
International Newcomer of the Year: Stephen Cook
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS: DOMESTIC
Momentum One-Day Cup Cricketer of the Season: Alviro Petersen
Domestic Newcomer of the Year: Nicky van den Bergh
SACA Most Valuable Player Award: Dwaine Pretorius
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS: OPERATIONS
CSA Groundsman of the Year: Bethuel Buthelezi - GCB
CSA Scorers’ Association of the Year: Gauteng Cricket Board