Exies captain Marc Tucker capped a memorable summer by being named the Griffith District Cricket Association Player of the Year.
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The all-rounder guided his team to back-to-back two-day premierships this season and made valuable contributions with bat and ball.
News of the award surprised Tucker at the presentation dinner, despite his position as association secretary. GDCA president Brenton Harrison admitted it was difficult keeping the news secret while they set up for the function.
“The main Player of the Year trophy had Marc’s name on it, so I left that one in the car,” Harrison said.
“We were then taking the trophies out of the boxes and he was about to grab the smaller one that he actually keeps, but I was able to grab it and sneak it out as well.
“He did ask me about who'd won, but I said, ‘Marc, I’m the only one who knows, so we'll just leave it a suprise’.”
With Brett Hazelman and Tom West, Tucker was the equal leading wicket taker in A grade with 33 scalps. He was also the joint winner of the Umpire Award with Hazelman.
Harrison said Tucker was a clear standout.
“In the end, it just came down to the amount of wickets he took and the runs he scored as well," he said.
Tucker was also named captain of the Team of the Year, which had five of the GDCA’s six clubs represented.
In second grade, Jamie Bennett cleaned up after taking home four awards. The Coro player finished with most runs (599), most wickets (37), best bowling average (5.97) and was named All-rounder of the Year.
In the senior representative arena, Coro’s Alex Flood took home the Neil Griggs Trophy for Best and Fairest Player in the Creet Cup.
Flood earned the gong after taking 21 wickets during Griffith’s successful campaign.
Leagues Club leg-spinner Liam Greenaway was awarded the Spence Trophy as the GDCA’s best under 17s player.
Coro won the Chris Blackshaw Club Championship Shield, while Don Coleman was voted Umpire of the Year.
Griffith Team of the Year: Ben Leach (Leagues Club), Phil Burge (Exies), Jimmy Binks (Leagues Club), Tom Spry (Yenda), Haydn Pascoe (Coro), Fletcher Josling (Coro), Dan Bozic (Leagues Club), Marc Tucker (Exies), Brett Hazelman (Yenda), Liam Greenaway (Leagues Club), Tom West (Hanwood).