Gisborne HSOB captain named Poverty Bay Cricket Player of the Year

HSOB skipper Carl Shaw was named winner of the Heikell Cup for Poverty Bay Cricket's Player of the Year at the association prize-giving on Saturday. It was one of several trophies he was collected. Photo / Paul Rickard

Horouta ruled premier club cricket over the 2024-2025 season, but the top individual honour went to High School Old Boys skipper Carl Shaw at the Poverty Bay Cricket prize-giving on Saturday.

Left-hander Shaw collected a swag of silverware for his performances, highlighted by the Heikell Cup as Men’s Player of the Year after scoring 429 runs and taking 24 wickets over all three Premier Grade competitions (Doleman Cup, Walker Shield, DJ Barry Cup).

He also won the Fraser Shield for highest batting aggregate (311 runs, not counting the Walker Shield); Stewart Cup as leading all-rounder; and Chrisp Cup for lowest bowling average (20 wickets at 8.55).

But he and his Bollywood HSOB teammates had to settle for runners-up to Moshims Spice Horouta in all three Premier competitions.

“We had a great, successful season,” Horouta captain Jagroop Singh said. “Leading a side that won three championships has been an honour. Prior to the season, we didn’t have enough players to make a Premier team and it’s been nothing less than a miracle that we were able to successfully add 20 players to our squad.

“All of the boys went on to show their consistency, resilience and hard work. Everybody knew their role and delivered when it was needed most. Our spin bowlers and pacemen took wickets, our fieldsmen performed extraordinary feats and our batsmen made runs — it was a good cricket environment.”

Coastal Concrete OBR’s Etienne Boates won the Wilkie Cup as most-improved Premier player from Horouta’s James Birrell. Botes took nine wickets at an average of 12.89 in the 40-over Doleman Cup and 10 wickets at 10.21 in the longer-form DJ Barry Cup Championship.

In the T15 Walker Shield, left-arm paceman Baljeet Sandhu won the Block-hole Trophy as the most economical bowler with an economy rate of 5.17, heading off teammate Shubham Ralhan and Botes on 5.33.

The Boom-Boom Trophy for most runs in the Walker Shield T15 competition went to Gautam Sareen — 151 at an average of 75.5 and a high score of 102.

Other Premier awards went to Ralhan, who with 10 catches and two run-outs shaded HSOB gloveman Taye McGuinness (10 catches, one stumping) for the WB Miller Cup for excellence in the field.

Harmanpreet Gill, of Horouta, won the Boon Cup for fastest 50 — off 18 balls — in his 22-ball unbeaten 77.

Pushpinder Kumar, who scored two centuries and 284 runs, won the PBCA Trophy for the highest batting average — 94.7.

Horouta skipper Jagroop Singh, with 27 wickets, won the Hayes Family Cup as leading wicket-taker.

OBR won the Bob Carswell Cup for efficiency.

Ngatapa were the dominant force in the Senior B competition, winning the Courier Post Shield T20 and Stanley Hope Memorial Cup 30-over titles.

Poverty Bay committee member Joyce Parkes was awarded the Rees Scragg Memorial Trophy for service to cricket.

Hope Cup Senior B Grade awards -

Bradley Cup for most improved player: Joel Kirkpatrick (Gisborne Boys’ High Second XI) from Archie Gillies (Ngatapa).

SK White Cup for efficiency: GBHS Second XI.

Wynn Barton Memorial Trophy for most promising Year 9-10 player: Patrick McInnes (GBHS Second XI).

Harry Heaton Barker Cup for highest batting average: Jacque Davis (HSOB Presidents) 40.2.

Carroll Cup for best bowling average: Nathan Quimpo 17 wickets at 6.1.

Hayes Family Cup for batting aggregate: Charles Morrison (Ngatapa) 307 runs, high score 85no.

PBCA Shield for best all-rounder: Zac Borrie (HSOB) 16 wickets, 261 runs.

Representative awards -

Naden Family Cup for representative player of the year: Johnathon Gray.

Poverty Bay Under-19 player of the year: Connor Starck.

Poverty Bay U17 player of the year: Keanu Makiri.

Poverty Bay U16 player of the year: Caleb Taewa.

Poverty Bay Year 6 boys’ player of the year: Nikau Leach.

Poverty Bay Ladies’ player of the year: Elenor Walsh and Neve Loffler.

PB U18 girls’ player of the year: Elsie Jones.

PB U16 girls’ player of the year: Sophie Warren.

PB U14 girls’ player of the year: Faith Reynolds.