BOK ELTON’S FUTURE LIES IN RASSIE’S HANDS
Franchise captain named Cricketer of the Year, among other accolades
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It was a night to remember for Warriors captain Jon Jon Smuts as he was rewarded for a superb season by being named the Warriors Cricketer of the Year at a glittering end of season awards dinner at the Tramways building in Port Elizabeth last night.
Smuts led the side over a successful campaign that saw them become joint Momentum One-Day Cup champions, finish as runners-up in the Sunfoil Series tournament and reach the semifinals of the Ram Slam T20 competition.
“The past season was very successful for the Warriors in franchise domestic cricket competitions,” said Warriors CEO Mark Williams.
“With the Warriors winning the Momentum One-Day Cup trophy, sharing it with the Hollywoodbets Dolphins, qualifying for a semifinal spot in the RamSlam T20 competition and exceeding expectations in the red ball competition from the bottom of the table last year to narrowly missing the top spot in the Sunfoil Series.”
Smuts, along with Border’s Christiaan Jonker and Simon Harmer, all received two major awards on the night, with Smuts also picking up the Momentum One-Day Cup player of the series award.
Jonker had a wonderful season in the shorter format of the game, with his blistering batting netting him the Ram Slam T20 player of the season and batsman of the season awards.
He was also rewarded with a call-up to the Proteas T20 squad, where he made a smashing debut in a losing cause against India.
Harmer’s bowling heroics during the Sunfoil Series almost saw the Warriors to the title and he was duly rewarded with the Warriors Sunfoil Series player of the season and bowler of the season awards.
Other players to pick up major awards included breakout bowling star Anrich Nortje who took home the Most Promising Player of the Year award.
Colin Ackermann and Gihahn Cloete claimed batting awards in the Sunfoil Series and Momentum One-Day Cup competitions respectively, while Andrew Birch was named Warriors Ram Slam T20 bowler of the season and Sisanda Magala the Momentum One-Day Cup bowler of the season. A number of player highlights were also enjoyed over the season.
Smuts was voted as South African Cricket Associations Most Valuable Player of the 2017-18 season, while Harmer was named the overall Sunfoil Series player of the year, with both of these accolades handed out at the Cricket South Africa Awards last month.
Matthew Breetzke represented SA at the U19 Cricket World Cup and received the U19 Cricketer of the Year Award at the CSA Awards, while he was called up into the Powerade National Academy programme along with fellow EP youngster Lutho Sipamla.
Great performances over the season also culminated with Cloete, Magala and Nortje being called up to the SA A sides to tour India later this year.