Sayer scoops top county award, Hunts kids off to South Africa

Cricket - Past and present Peterborough Town talent

Former Peterborough Town all-rounder Rob Sayer has won Leicestershire County Cricket Club’s young playerof-the year prize for 2016. Sayer (21), whoplayedforEngland in anunder19worldcup, broke into the first-team this season, making three firstclass appearances and five appearances in the domestic T20 blast.

Sayer’s progress has been good enough to earn him a winter in New Zealand where he will develop his skills as an off-spinner with former Kiwi Test player Jeetan Patel.

Theposting is madeunder the ECB Overseas Placement programme and Sayer, from Ramsey St Mary, is one of just nine English players to be selected for this winter.

Sayer learnt his cricket originally at Upwood CC and was a star player for Hunts in his teenage years.

And the next set of star youngHuntscricketersareoff on tour to South Africa later this month.

Three current Peterbor- ough Town players have been selected, They are batsman Kieran Judd, who broke into Town’s NorthantsPremierDivision side this summer, and bowlers Thomas Sanderson and Connor Parnell.

Barnack seamer Robert Best, Nassington’s precocious left-arm slow bowler HarrisonCraig, Castorbowler Stuart Dockerill and Ramsey pair Mark Saunders and Ollie Stevens are also included in an under 19 squad that will be managed by Ian Cousins and coached by David Summers.

The team will play six matches against some of the top school and junior club sides in the Pretoria and Cape Town areas.

They will also visit the Mbekwent Township near Paarl where they will interact withlocal school children and deliver a coaching session.

Oundle School student Simon Fernandes (16) was picked for the MCC Schools squadtoplayEnglandSchools intheirannualmatchatLord’s recently.

Fernandes was 12th man but entered the field of play to take a catch.

“It was an honour to be involved,” Simon said. “I loved every minute of it.”

Rob Sayer (right) with his Leicestershire young player of the year prize.

The Hunts touring party, back left to right, Paula Summers, David Summers, Murray Reid, Kieran Judd, Connor Parnell, Thomas Sanderson, Robert Best, Michael Speed, Joseph Watling, Ian Cousins, Sheila Stephenson, front, Mark Saunders, Stuart Dockerill,...