Whanganui cricketer Jess Watkin wins big at Central Districts awards

Jess Watkin had a solid season in both T20 and 50-over formats. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui cricketer Jess Watkin has picked up Central Hinds' player of the year award for the 2021/22 season, the third time she has won the prize.

The allrounder also claimed the one-day Hallyburton Johnstone Shield Player of the Year.

The Hinds only played four of a scheduled 10 one-day games last season due to Covid-19, with Watkin hitting 128 runs and taking 11 wickets.

She scored 168 runs in the Dream11 Super Smash, to go with nine wickets at an average of 22.88.

Watkin said it was hard to take stock of the one-day season when only four games were played, but the Hinds didn't finish where they wanted in the T20 campaign.

She is the captain of the T20 team.

"We took Wellington close in both games we played against them but we just couldn't finish things.

"Our last four overs in pretty much every game let us down. That's something we are working really hard on - how to finish games.

"I don't think we won any T20 games the season before last though, so we are definitely making progress."

This year's awards were also impacted by Covid-19, with the event postponed from the end of last summer due to the outbreak of Omicron.

Watkin said she wanted to contribute as much as she could with both bat and ball in 2022/23, and training was already well under way.

"It's a full-time thing without getting paid full-time.

"Things do get hard sometimes when you're juggling a job, your training, as well as life and everything like that."

She is also the female development officer at Manawatu Cricket.

"It's cricket all year round.

"There are definitely still aspirations to play for the White Ferns again as well.

"I've just got to get some performances under my belt."

Watkin made her international debut in 2018 and has played six one-day internationals and nine T20 internationals since.

She took home Central Hinds' player of the year awards for the 2016/17 and 2019/20 seasons.