IRELAND stars Kevin O’Brien and Cecelia Joyce have been rewarded for impressive international seasons by being named winners of the top prizes in the 2014 Cricket Ireland Awards.
O’Brien, who fought off tough competition from captain William Porterfield and Max Sorensen for the award, had a strong finish to 2013 as his 47 helped his side to victory over Afghanistan in the ICC Inter-Continental Cup final in December as Ireland to completed an unprecedented international treble.
The Leinster Lightning all-rounder ended the 2014 international season in similar style, captaining Ireland to a series victory over neighbours Scotland at Malahide scoring 159 runs across the three matches.
Cecelia Joyce completes a memorable personal season by being named RSA Women’s International Player of the Year ahead of sister and captain Isobel, bowler Louise McCarthy, and vice-captain Mary Waldron. Joyce played a starring role in Ireland’s clean-sweep in the European Championships where she scored a blistering 119* against Scotland en route to victory.
North West Warriors fast-bowler Craig Young made a huge impact in his breakthrough international season, claiming five-wickets on debut against Scotland in September. The Bready pace-man has already confirmed himself as one of Ireland’s front line quick bowlers and is this year’s Sunday Independent Aengus Fanning Emerging Player of the Year.
Having scored 94 against Holland and 80 against Scotland as Ireland went on to win the 2014 ICC Europe U19 Challenge Series, amassed 400 runs and taken 13 wickets for Waringstown, as well as making his Northern Knights debut and being called into the Ireland winter training panel, James McCollum has been named as the Castleknock Hotel Young Player of the Year.
Another breakthrough fast bowler – Shapoorji Pallonji Cricket Ireland Academy player Peter Chase - had a year to remember breaking into the Ireland A side for their fixture against the MCC, before getting full international recognition against Sri Lanka A later that month and recently toured Australia and New Zealand with the senior squad.
2014 also saw Chase make his first-class debut for County Championship side Durham, and he is the 2014 Shapoorji Pallonji Cricket Ireland Academy Player of the Year.
It was a prolific season with the bat for Leinster Lightning’s Andrew Poynter who had an impressive season with the bat for both province and club side Clontarf. Poynter scored 353 runs across all formats for the Lightning as they claimed both the Inter-Provincial Championship and Inter-Provincial Cup and is the 2014 Newstalk Inter-Provincial Player of the Year.
Long been regarded as one of the best cricketers Ireland has ever produced and despite entering his 48th year he is still turning out performances in top level domestic cricket. With over 700 North West Premier League runs to his name in 2014 at an average of 64.75, Ardmore’s Dekker Curry is named as the O’Neills Club Player of the Year.
Widely regarded as Ireland’s top international umpire, Mark Hawthorne picks up the Notts Sport Official of the Year Award for the second year running after a season which saw him officiate in four One Day Internationals including the Ireland v Scotland series at Malahide, and Scotland’s clash with England at Aberdeen.
For his work with club side Waringstown and guiding Ireland Under-15s to a clean-sweep at the 2014 European Championships at Rugby School, Simon Johnston is the 2014 Toyota Coach of the Year
Winners of the Irish National Cup, the NCU Section 1, the Ulster Shield and the NCU Twenty20 to go along with league wins for the 2nd XI, 4th XI and U-15s, what a year it has been for Carrickfergus the winners of the Tildenet Club of the Year Award.
Former Ireland opening batsman Jack Short will become the 11th inductee to the Cricket Ireland Hall of Fame, which is voted for by the Cricket Writers of Ireland. Jack joins fellow Irish cricketing legends Simon Corlett, Mike Halliday, Stephen Warke, Ivan Anderson, Gerry Duffy, Ginger O’Brien, Ossie Colhoun, Roy Torrens, Dougie Goodwin and Alec O’Riordan.
The winners along with the Johnston, Mooney and O’Brien Volunteer of the Year and recipient of the Experis Outstanding Contribution award to Irish Cricket will be presented with their awards at the 2014 Cricket Ireland Awards lunch on Friday November 14th.
2014 Cricket Ireland Award Winners:
RSA International Men’s Player of the Year – Kevin O’Brien
RSA International Women’s Player of the Year – Cecelia Joyce
Sunday Independent Aengus Fanning International Emerging Player of the Year – Craig Young
Castleknock Hotel Junior Player of the Year –James McCollum
Shapoorji Pallonji Cricket Ireland Academy Player of the Year – Peter Chase
Newstalk Inter-Provincial Player of the Year – Andrew Poynter (Leinster Lightning)
O’Neills Club Player of the Year – Dekker Curry (Ardmore)
Notts Sport Official of the Year – Mark Hawthorne
Toyota Coach of the Year – Simon Johnston
Tildenet Club of the Year – Carrickfergus
Cricket Ireland Hall of Fame Induction – Jack Short