Leading all-rounder Richard Sims has been named as Swardeston’s 1st X1’s player of the year for 2006.
The Zimbabwean, in his second season in Swardeston’s Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League team, made over 1300 runs in all games, averaging over 66 and took 22 wickets. He hit three centuries and nine fifties.
In the EAPL Sims was the the club and the whole competition’s leading run scorer, making over 890 and averaging 63.79. He also took 13 wickets and held 13 catches.
Sims was also awarded the trophy for the most outstanding performance of the year – top scoring with 196 in the Bob Carter Cup semi-final against Old Buckenham. This broke the previous individual batting record held by club captain Peter Thomas.
Sims was presented with the award by captain Mark Thomas at Swardeston’s packed annual dinner, held at The Old Ram, Tivetshall St Mary.
Opening batsman Barney Goodrum picked up the player-of-the-year award for the Lovewell Blake Norfolk Alliance premier division team for the second year running.
Goodrum scored more than 390 runs in the league in a troubled season for the team which saw them relegated.
Tony Bailey won the Alliance Division Two team award for the second year running after another outstanding season behind the stumps was bolstered by a terrific summer with the bat. He hit over 370 league runs including a fantastic knock against Mattishall which earned Swardeston victory.
Ben Hogg picked up the Sunday XI player of the year after a season as the leading run scorer for the team, with more than 450 to his name. Captain Chris Watts handed him the trophy and wished him Ben luck for the 2007 season as he inherits the skipper’s mantle.
Seventeen-year-old Rob Newton was awarded the Neville Herathge Trophy for the most outstanding youth player.
Club captain Peter Thomas said making an EAPL century at the then age of 16 was a truly outstanding achievement and he paid particular tribute to Rob”s match-winning 70 not out against champions Bury St Edmunds.
