10th October 2019
| Mallory Gray
The annual Cricket Wales Caps Luncheon showed yet again why it remains one of the highlights of the cricketing calendar where the pathway is concerned. Over 150 attendees of players, parents, coaches, board members and distinguished guests celebrated the fine achievements of our boys and girls receiving their traditional Welsh caps on the back of their debut seasons. The day also presented the Players of the Year for each age group, in addition to the prestigious awarding of the John Derrick & Geoff Holmes awards for the girl and boy that best embody the values and ethos of Cricket Wales.
Capping off the special day was the inaugural attendance of the Cricket Wales Disability Squad, who are due to embark on their very first overseas tour to Sri Lanka later this month. Head Coach Les Randell provided a passionate and moving tribute to recognise the incredible journey all squad members have been through just to get to this point, and rightly emphasised just how proud Cricket Wales as an organisation are of every individual. Each squad player was presented with their Welsh cap alongside their personalised tour shirt.
Below are the list of new caps as per their respective age groups, in addition to the Player of the Year and special award winners:
Girls U13 New Caps
Abbie Mayers (Buckley)
Mullai Chandramohan (Swansea)
Girls U13 Player of the Year
Cerys Griffiths (Radyr)
Boys U13 New Caps
Ben Croydon (Gowerton & West Glamorgan)
Owain Baxter (Llanelli & Carmarthenshire)
Boys U13 Player of the Year
Zac Williams (St Fagans & Cardiff & The Vale)
Boys U14 New Caps
Will Morris (Monmouth School)
Avaneesh Shah (Lisvane & Cardiff & The Vale)
Joe Phillips (Llangwm & Pembrokeshire)
Charlie Porter (Swansea Civil Service & West Glamorgan)
Boys U14 Player of the Year
Aaron Davies (Bridgend & Cardiff & The Vale)
Girls U15 New Caps
Georgia Munroe (Gresford)
Yasmin Belhadj (Lisvane)
Girls U15 Player of the Year
Libby Thomas (Morriston)
Boys U15 New Caps
Ben Morris (Abergavenny & Gwent)
Boys U15 Player of the Year
Callum Nicholls (St Fagans & Cardiff & The Vale)
Girls U17 New Caps
None
Girls U17 Player of the Year
Bethan Gammon (Briton Ferry Steel)
Boys U17 New Caps
Iestyn Rees (Pontarddulais)
Boys U17 Player of the Year
Sam Jardine (Neath)
Senior Women New Caps
Carmen Clements
Senior Women Player of the Year
Rachel Priest (Briton Ferry Steel)
Disability Squad Player of the Year
Harry Malone
The John Derrick Award
Alex Griffiths (Briton Ferry Steel)
Alex is the worthy recipient of the John Derrick Award for 2019. One of the most humble and hardworking youngsters Cricket Wales are lucky to have, Alex has reached new heights this year by forcing her way into the Western Storm squad that won the KSL Super League for the second time in four years. She took her maiden KSL wicket, that of South African international Mignon de Preez and contributed outstandingly in the field. A complete role model for the girls game, and having come through the girls age group programme as a youngster it was fitting that Christine Derrick was in attendance to present Alex with her award.
The Geoff Holmes Award
Zac Essenhigh
One of the most mature players in the whole of the boys pathway, Zac epitomises the ethos of Cricket Wales. Always grounded, always trying to help teammates, and always quick to rise to a challenge Zac continues to impress on and off the field. Representing Wales at U14, U15 & U17 level this summer Zac has really relished the experience and added immense value for whichever group he is playing with. Not only is he a dream to coach, but he is a leader to his peers and fully deserves the accolade and credit that comes with being awarded the Geoff Holmes trophy.
Above: The Disability Squad with their official Sri Lanka tour shirts.