FIND A FAST BOWLER – 2022 BOYS AWARD

Balbriggan CC right-arm seam bowler Aadi Wankhade has been awarded the Cricket Leinster ‘Find a Fast Bowler’ award for 2022. It represents swift progress for Aadi who only made his first senior club appearance on 12th June last for Balbriggan CC. 

In addition to underage selection for Fingal, Leinster and Irish Cubs teams in 2022, Aadi is now playing regularly in Leinster Open Competitions and in a very motivational gesture, Aadi has been invited by his idol, the Irish cricketing star Josh Little, to train with him and the Leinster Lightning squad in April.

Josh added - “Congratulations on your award Aadi. Very humbled that I am your favourite cricketer, and I would like to invite you to attend a Leinster Lightning training session in April, so I can present your Award but more importantly to bowl with you to learn how you won the Award this year”.

Albert Harper (Balbriggan Cricket Club) was delighted to see Aadi’s progress recognised in this way -  “Congratulations Aadi, I remember well the first time you came to club training and we could see what a special talent we had on our hands.  We ask our Council and Local Councillors to once again stand with us this winter to see how we can create more opportunities for young cricketers like Aadi.”

Gerry Reardon (Principal Sports Officer with Fingal County Council) was also delighted to recognise this success - “Congratulations Aadi from me and all the team at Fingal County Council Sports Office on your prestigious Award.  I hope you enjoy a very special day with Josh Little and we also commend Josh for his efforts to show how together making a little time for others, can inspire us all to make further progress in the game”.

Introducing Aadi Wankhade

Club: Balbriggan Cricket Club 

School: Drogheda Grammar School  

Favourite Cricketer: Ireland – Josh Little,  World – James Anderson              

Started playing: 2019

Representative Honours: Leinster, Irish Cubs & Fingal tour to Liverpool 

Best Bowling: 4-24 vs Rush (25th June 2022)

Other sports played: Badminton, hockey and chess

Previous Winners of this Award

2006 - Darren Nicol (Terenure)

2007 - Padraic Flanagan (Railway Union)

2008 - Andrew Sheridan (North County)

2009 – David Delany (Clontarf)

2010 – Rory Anders (Phoenix)

2011 – Josh Little (Pembroke)

2012 – Cian Nulty (Balbriggan)

2013 – Charlie Johnston (YMCA)

2014 – Mikey O’Reilly (YMCA)

2015 – Ben Brownlee (YMCA)

2016 – Daniel Thorne (Rush)

2017 – Mark Tonge (Leinster)

2018 – Reuben Wilson (Phoenix)

2019 – Eoin Birch (Balbriggan)

2020 – Mathew Weldon (The Hills)

2021 – Lorcan Craik (Knockharley)