Cricket: Young but not restless anymore

William Young, left, receives the CD gold caps as 2014-15 player of the year and players' player of the year from Stags coach Heinrich Malan at McLean Park, Napier, last Saturday.

A sense of belonging is often taken for granted for those who venture into sport but it isn't always a given.

Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags cricketer William Young found traction this summer and accolades followed at the team's prizegiving ceremony at McLean Park, Napier, last Saturday.

"I think this season particularly, I felt a sense of belonging in the team which in turn gave me the confidence to go out there to express my skills rather than go out to worry about what other people think," the 22-year-old batsman said last night from New Plymouth.

Young's continued development as an adroit batsman blossomed this summer after he accumulated 909 runs (second highest in the competition) at an average of 53.47, including a century and seven half tons.

The former New Zealand Under-19 captain, who batted at No4 in the four-day Plunket Shield campaign, also played a key part in the Stags' march to victory in the one-day Ford Trophy, scoring 439 runs at 48.77, with a strike rate of 85.40.

Batting at No3 in the white-ball format, Young also carved up his maiden List A ton for with an unbeaten 101 against the Northern Districts Knights in January.

The cricketer also won the endorsement of his teammates, picking up the Players' Player of the Year award.

Young said players new to the fold had a tendency to exert immense pressure on themselves, based on their own, coach/selectors and teammates' expectations.

"You put pressure on yourself to score and payback the coach and selectors' faith in you and those type of things."

Young, who is off to Bristol CC in England this winter for a five-month stint, said he also had flatted with teammate Ben Wheeler in Napier to cut out the stress of travelling but hastened to add that didn't imply players couldn't be successful from outside the Bay.

He didn't make any major changes to his batting style but felt he had adopted an effective defensive stance that gave him the luxury to get himself in at the crease for runs to flow.

Opener George Worker won T20 Player of the Year award, scoring 318 runs at an average of 45.42.

Seamer Andrew Mathieson won the Player of the Year award for the CD's Ford Trophy-winning campaign, taking a national record 31 wickets.

Batsman Tom Bruce won the most improved player award.

Taranaki are also the toast of CD Hinds after Kate Broadmore won the player of the year accolade.

Broadmore's feats included scoring 608 runs at 67.55, taking eight wickets and four catches while leading a youthful Hinds to third in the one-day competition as well as winning a White Ferns recall.

CD Stags
•Men's Player of the Year (CD Life Members' Trophy): Will Young.
•Men's Players' Player of the Year: Will Young.
•Georgie Pie Super Smash Player of the Year: George Worker.
•Plunket Shield Player of the Year: Will Young.
•Ford Trophy Player of the Year: Andrew Mathieson.
•Most improved player: Tom Bruce.

CD Hinds
•Women's Player of the Year (CD Life Members' Salver): Kate Broadmore.
•Batsman of the Year: Kate Broadmore (608 runs @ 67.55).
•Bowler of the Year: Michelle Bunkall (19 wkts @ 23.10).
•Young Player of the Year: Jess Watkins (220 runs @ 20; 13 wkts; 5 catches)

CD Men Provincial A
•Trailways CD Men's Player of the Tournament: Greg Hay.