17th October 2014
| Mallory Gray
The former England one-day head coach drove down from
Manchester after a call from his sister, Tracy Hodgson, who runs Monmouth’s
girls’ team. Giles, who is now head coach and Director of Cricket at
Lancashire, proved a big hit with the youngsters as he carried out a
question-and-answer session, handed out awards, posed for photographs and
signed autographs.
Young left-arm spinner Ben Davies was given a special club honour
after taking 33 wickets for Wales Under-12s – a new season’s record for the age
group.
It was also a memorable evening for the Maguire sisters, who
have made huge progress since joining the club two years ago.
Shannon picked up the under-11s most improved player
award and was part of the side who
were runners-up in the Monmouthshire
Junior League Under-11 Premier Division
Sisters Shannon, Megan and Lauren Maguire with former England spinner Ashley Giles
Lauren won the under-9s most improved award and captained
Monmouth against a strong Chepstow team, while Megan,
who collected
a medal for having
played for the under-9 team,
bagged
five wickets and has taken a keen interest in keeping wicket.
George Williamson, who represented Gwent, was the under-15s
player of the season, while Ben Pilot, Sam Swingwood and Tom McNally won top
honours for the under-13s , under-11s and under-9s respectively.
Catrin
Watkins scooped the girls’ player-of-the-season award, while Patrick Stubbs was
the most improved boy in the under-9s and Jordan Suttie marked his debut season as the most improved player in the
under-13s.
The visit from the former England international one-day head
coach, who lives in Droitwich, rounded off another outstanding junior season
for Monmouth Cricket Club.
The evening, hosted by Monmouth Rugby Club, was success,
with all young players collecting at least one medal. It was organised by hard-working
youth co-ordinator Jon Despontin.
Giles was given a warm introduction by club chairman
Martin Newell, who recounted the spinner’s heroics in the 2005 Ashes-winning
series.
The evening was attended by club president John Wigmore and Chris
Jenkins, manager at the King’s Head in Monmouth, who represented the cricket club’s
main sponsors, JD Wetherspoon.
Monmouth
Cricket Club’s junior award winners for 2014: Under-15s: player of season, George
Williamson. Under-13s: player of season,
Ben Pilot; most improved, Jordan Suttie. Under-11s: player of season, Sam
Swingwood; most improved, Shannon Maguire. Under-9s: player of season, Tom
McNally; most improved boy, Patrick Stubbs; most improved girl, Lauren Maguire.
Girls’ player of season,
Catrin Watkins.
Special club award, Ben Davies.
Ben Davies with Ashley Giles
For
more details about Monmouth Cricket Club's junior section, which has
teams at under-9, under-11, under-13 and under-15 age groups, please
call Jon Despontin on 07966 015609 or email:
[email protected]