More honours for Bay cricketer

Bharat Popli.

As well as claiming the top prizes of Northern Districts Cricketer of of the Year Award and Northern Knights Batsman of the Year, Bharat Popli was also awarded the New Zealand Cricket's Domestic Player of the Year in a surprise announcement at the end of the ceremony on Thursday night.

Tauranga's Popli joined a select handful of batsman in the long history of the Plunket Shield to have scored over 1000 runs in a First Class season.

Following his maiden first class century against the Aces Bharat scored 1149 runs at an average to 67 per innings.

The 25-year-old was the top scorer in the Plunket Shield.

He scored three centuries during the competition, but also had four other scored between 89 and 100.

Only English international batsman Graeme Hick has scored more first class runs in a season for Northern Districts.