Payton ‘chuffed to bits’ with ICC award

Dermot Payton admits to being somewhat nonplussed when he received a communication telling him he was one of 50 Kiwis awarded an International Cricket Council centenary medal.
Payton wasn't even aware the ICC had decided to mark their first 100 years by striking 1000 such medals to be given world-wide to volunteers who had served the sport with distinction, let alone that he had been among the nominees.
But the Masterton farmer was "chuffed to bits" to be among the recipients although typically low-key about whether he actually deserved the award or not.
"A lot of people give heaps of voluntary time to sport and get little recognition for it ... I guess it's nice to get something in return," he said.
That Payton deserves to have his contribution to cricket officially recognised would not, however, be the source of any debate among the Wairarapa or Central Districts cricketing fraternity.
As the brief synopsis which goes with the press release announcing the award recipient says he has served cricket in a host of roles: club coach, club selector, representative coach, representative selector, representative manager, first class coach, secondary school coach and district administrator.
In short he has basically worn every hat there is to wear on the domestic scene over a period which stretches more than 40 years, and probably closer to 50!
What the synopsis doesn't say, however, is that Payton has not only achieved marvellous deeds as an administrator but he also made his mark as a player too. Something testified by his 49 appearances - mostly as an opening batsman - for Central Districts and his goodness knows how many games for Wairarapa, the majority of them as captain. Literally hundreds.
In fact it was a match for Wairarapa which provided him with perhaps the most satisfaction, their victory over Southland in Invercargill in the late 1970s which saw them become the holders of the Hawke Cup, the symbol of supremacy among the minor cricket associations in New Zealand.
Payton had been part of Wairarapa teams aiming for Hawke Cup glory for 15 years and to finally get the monkey off the back was a huge relief.
"That was a special win for everyone concerned, it was a long time coming," Payton recalled.
Getting serious about coaching never entered the Payton mind until he agreed to help out Wanganui Collegiate in that respect and what was to be a month-long stint turned into a 15-year involvement.
And it led to him becoming a coach, selector and manager for various Central Districts teams, including their premier men's side - and, of course, a regular coach or selector of Wairarapa sides, basically right up until the present time. Payton sees the instilling of confidence in players as being as being a key component of the coaching process.
"They can have all the skill in the world but if they don't have self belief then they won't go anywhere," he said.
"Getting the mental side of the game right is very important - potential will never be fully realised without it."