Tributes, trophies and baggy caps were the order of the night as players and families of the Bowral Blues Cricket Club (BBCC) tied off a historic season.
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Ravi Wikramanayake, 17, was named junior club person of the year following a stellar season where he made the under 17’s Australian Championships.
A special mention was given to several others Blues juniors who made rep breakthroughs including 14-year-old Eliza Heineckie who was just announced as a member of the Cricket NSW/ACT under 15 girls squad.
This followed Eliza’s participation in last month’s Cricket NSW under 15 Girls State Challenge.
Willoughby Watson, 12, was announced as a participant in the Cricket NSW Greater Illawarra advanced junior training academy.
Last year Watson made the Cricket NSW under 13 Boys State Challenge and NSW CIS school squads.
Blues alumni juniors Charlie Dummer and Dom O’Shannessy were applauded.
Dummer for making the ACT/NSW under 19 team and O’Shannessy for the extraordinary feat of cracking the Australian under 17 squad.
Another highlight was the Bowral Blues Skies junior team being presented with baggy caps following their grand final win over fellow club mates the Bowral Blues Royals in March.
Matt and Nick Colgan, Eliza Heineckie, Harry Mattick, Jack McCallum, Harry Pinczi, Mo Rewais, Willoughby Watson, Hayden Willebrand and Judah Wright were honoured as the district’s grand final winners.
Seven Bowral Blues juniors finished the season as top 10 district batters.
Blues juniors also took seven spots in the top 10 district bowling lineup.
The club and district all-rounder junior awards went to Willoughby Watson who hit 464 runs with 14 compulsory retirements at 30, without being dismissed for the entire season.
He was also the district’s best bowler, taking 20 wickets at an average of 7.7.
The Skies best fielding award was picked up by Hayden Willebrand, the district’s second-highest junior run scorer.
Judah Wright and Harry Mattick were honoured with the most improved and coaches awards.
Liam Bayliss was recognised as the Royals’ best batter with 309 runs while his twin brother, Mitchell, was his team’s best bowler with 15 wickets.
Noah Fitzroy received the Royals’ most improved award while the coaches award went to Fin O’Connor.
Former international player and current Bowral Blues Cricket Club coaching mentor Barry Knight was on hand to present many of the awards, along with Dom O’Shannessy.
Bowral Blues Cricket Club head coach Brian Martin said the club’s juniors were destined for great things.
“Anything’s possible with junior cricket when you get the recipe of fun, skill-based training, modesty and hard work right,” Martin said.
“We don’t care about ability or experience at the start of any season – it’s about everyone being included, encouraged and coached well.
“Having both our junior teams make the grand final and seeing so many of our young players excel beyond club really makes it worthwhile and we’re so proud of all our boy and girl juniors.”
It was believed to be the first time in the Blue’s history that every club team had made a finals berth.
In the senior division, the Blues seconds squad was honoured for making the grand final despite losing to an energised Wingello side.
The Blues thirds did well to make the semi-finals.
Andrew Langdon was the club’s top run scorer hitting 681 runs and took out the second grade best batting award.
Veteran second grade paceman Brett McAulay took out the second grade bowling honours, taking 28 wickets at an average of 15.8.
Third grade captain Matt Watson was the club’s and district’s highest third grade wicket taker, taking 29 wickets at an average of 14.34.
Paul Turner won the third grade batting award with 330 runs at an average of 55.
Bowral Blues Cricket Club is seeking expressions of interest from seniors and juniors, boys and girls, who would like to participate in winter training initiatives or join the club next season.
Call Brian Martin on 0419 989 905.
