Cricket: Smith and Hunter are the big winners at awards night

Robert, who took an incredible 50 wickets during the 2012 season, picked up the First XI Best Bowler and Captain’s Player of the Year gongs, as well as being voted joint winner of the Players’ Player of the Year award alongside Jay, who also won the First XI Best Batsman trophy for scoring over 600 runs and was named Young Player of the Year.

Robert also picked up a Centurion’s tie for his knock of 106 against Portadown, and was presented with the two NCU awards he won during the season for scoring a century and taking six wickets in a match.

Guest speaker for the evening was Instonians and Ireland all-rounder Andrew White, who praised the club for its long-term vision and youth coaching structure. He congratulated the First XI and Second XI on securing promotion this season and wished both sides well for 2013, saying he hoped one day to see Templepatrick First XI competing in the NCU Premier League.

Other guests at the club’s annual prize night included Newtownabbey Mayor Victor Robinson, Mayoress Vikki Robinson and Alistair Lindsay, Chairman of Ballyclare RFC, and his wife, Gillian.

Alderman Robinson congratulated Templepatrick on winning the Club of the Year title at this year’s Newtownabbey Borough Council Sports Awards, and the club’s Cricket Development Officer, Andy McCrea, on picking up the NBC Coach of the Year and ECB UK Cricket Coach of the Year awards.

Award winners on the night were: Billy Boyd Memorial Trophy for Players’ Player of the Year - Jay Hunter and Robert Smith; Roy Anderson Trophy for Most Improved Player of the Year - Mark Thompson; Young Player of the Year - Jay Hunter; First XI Best Bowler - Robert Smith, Best Batsman - Jay Hunter, Captain’s Player of the Year - Robert Smith; Second XI Best Bowler - Jordi Fettis and Stephen Boyd, Best Batsman - Jordi Fettis, Captain’s Player of the Year - Nathan Brien; Third XI Best Batsman and Bowler - Peter Shepherd, Captain’s Player of the Year - Ryan McCabrey; Under 15 Best Bowler - Andy McAlmont, Best Batsman - Jack Magee; Under 13 Player of the Year - Jonathan Ramsay; Under 11 Player of the Year - joint winners Harry Warke and Adam Clarke.

Special awards for earning representative honours during the 2012 season were presented to Harry Warke (Northern Ireland Under 11), Jay Hunter and Jordan Carlisle (Ulster Schools), and Jay Hunter and Ross Bryans (NCU Under 17).