Black Caps captain Kane Williamson (right) presents Geyser City Cricket president Kane Vanner with the NZC Club of the Year Award. Photo / Annette Johnston
Black Caps captain Kane Williamson (right) presents Geyser City Cricket president Kane Vanner with the NZC Club of the Year Award. Photo / Annette Johnston
Rotorua's Geyser City Cricket Club members finally got to admire the 2019/20 New Zealand Cricket Club of the Year trophy at the weekend.
They were named winners of the award at the New Zealand Cricket Awards, held virtually during the nationwide lockdown in April.
Bay of Plenty Cricket held a presentation of the award at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday to more than 30 club members.
On hand to help Geyser City celebrate the occasion was Black Caps captain Kane Williamson, who won the NZC ODI Player of the Year himself.
Williamson was in sensational form at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, hammering 578 runs at an average of 82, which included two centuries.
Geyser City Cricket Club received an endorsement for their forward-thinking and planning in recent seasons, with the presentation of the NZC Club of the Year Award.
The NZ Cricket awards release said: "The creation of a new, all weather, anytime training facility and the concurrent partnership with Western Heights High School and John Paul College has helped provide the Geyser City Cricket Club access to all ages in the wider Rotorua cricket community."
"In the last season Geyser also created a new professional coaching program, not only for its members, but also for a number of local schools with hundreds of students participating in the program. In addition, they have acquired portable wickets to allow cricket to effectively be played anywhere, anytime and enjoyed by everyone."
On the day, Bay of Plenty Cricket announced the award and highlighted the Geyser City Cricket achievements over the near three decades since the club was established in 1991.
Williamson, was then called upon to present the award to club president Kane Vanner.
Geyser City Cricket Club members were able to rub shoulders with Black Caps captain Kane Williamson (centre). Photo / Annette Johnston
Vanner said they were hugely appreciative of the award.
"Given the very challenging time we have all been through in recent months, it's really nice to be able to get to actually celebrate this, and having Kane here is just exceptional. I'm sure many of the people here today will remember this for a very long time.
"Although the club has been around for many years, we are really on a new journey aiming to create a more modern pathway for all players to play at any level they are keen to reach.
"We certainly would not classify ourselves as the finished article and still see a considerable amount of work needing to be done in the Rotorua cricket space."
Riley Kusab has his bat signed by Black Caps captain Kane Williamson. Photo / Annette Johnston
Vanner said they would look to continue to grow their junior numbers but would also be focusing on growing their volunteer base.
"In terms of our long term aspirations, one goal we would love to achieve would be to have played a hand in the generation of a Black Caps player. This would be a significant achievement for Rotorua and proof that our structures underneath were working."
