Youngsters in awards spotlight
The performances of five young cricketers from Cricket Shropshire’s County Age Group Programme across the Summer were recognised at the Presentation Evening held at the Albright Hussey Hotel.
A separate presentation day was held in October for award winners in three categories for each of the Boys and Girls County Age Group sides – batting, bowling and coaches’ awards.
The top players across the Development and Performance categories were then recognised on Friday night along with the Gerry Gladwell wicket-keeping award by Pathway and Coaching Manager Ed Ashlin and Regional Development Programme Manager Darrell Corfield.
Boys Development – Harry Harrison
Ed said: “Harry had a fantastic individual season, standing up with the bat for his county age group and also being the engine behind the stumps. His positive batting at the top of the order has been really great to see, taking on the opponent’s best bowlers with ‘no fear’ attitude.
“His wicket-keeping is vital to his side’s bowling and fielding plans. He has really impressed the coaches with his ability to stand up to not only the spinners, but also the seamers, giving his captain another dimension to his fielding plans.
“Not only is he turning into a super cricketer but he’s also a brilliant lad to have around the group, always encouraging and picking people up.”
Girls Development – Sophia Parton
Ed said: “Sophia has had an exceptional year with both bat and ball. She has played for the Shropshire Girls Under 13s and played up in the Under 15s to become a key player in both.
“She scored more than 250 runs this season for Shropshire and got her first-ever half century – 63 not out off 60 balls against North Wales Girls Under 13s. Her hard work, dedication and enthusiasm have led to her consistently performing to a very high standard and this is something she should be very proud of.
“In every game she played, she made a significant impact and consistently took several high-quality wickets under pressure, with best figures of 4-11 against Worcestershire Girls Under 13s. Her ability to take wickets under pressure, especially when the team needs it most, has been a crucial factor in our team’s success.
“Throughout the season she has been a true asset to the teams, and coaches have said that it is always a pleasure to coach her.”
Boys Performance – Ollie Dyson
Ed said: “Ollie has shown tremendous potential, embodying both talent and sportsmanship. With an impressive 554 runs this season and an average of 61.56, his consistency and dedication have truly stood out. Scoring more than twice as many runs as his closest team-mate is an incredible achievement. His two centuries, three fifties, and a top score of 130 not-out were instrumental in the team’s success. He is a talented all-rounder (able to bowl both seam and spin) and also contributed with the ball taking 12 wickets at an average of 16. Beyond his personal accomplishments, he has led by example, stepping up as captain on three occasions. What’s even more remarkable is that he achieved all this after recovering from a significant knee injury earlier in the year. His resilience and focus are inspiring to the entire squad.”
Girls’ Performance – Millie Parry
Ed said: “Millie had an exceptional year with the bat and has stats to dream of, scoring more than 1,000 runs for the 2024 season, 358 of those coming for the Under 15s. She scored her first 100 for the Under 18 girls, hit four half centuries for the Under 15 squad and has led from the front as captain of our U15s. She shows superb commitment and dedication to both developing her own skills but also those of others. She goes above and beyond to create a team environment and puts real value on her and others representing Shropshire. She has been recognised further this Winter by being supported by the Warwickshire EPP Programme.”
Gerry Gladwell Award (wicket-keeping) – Morgan Ward
Ed said: “This award honours one of Shropshire’s finest wicket-keepers – Gerry Gladwell. Mogran had a busy 2024 season playing across our U15/16 and 18 teams. He has only really focused on his wicket-keeping in the last 12 months but has shown good potential during this period. He is fearless and confident and this gives him a good presence as a keeper, particularly when standing up. He took 13 wicket-keeping dismissals across the age group teams and is also a fine athlete in the field when he doesn’t wear the gloves. He also captained our U16 team from behind the stumps, coming up with creative ideas and taking responsibility at key times. We look forward to the continued development of this players overall skills in the future.”
If anyone would like a high-resolution digital version of any of these pictures, we can supply them for £5, half of which will be donated to the chosen charity of the evening MIND. If you wish to order three pictures it will be £10, five for £15 or 10 for £20.