Cricket: Big season is reflected in awards for Canning

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Being named Auckland cricketer of the year last night was some compensation for Tama Canning's failure to win a place in the New Zealand team for the tour of Sri Lanka.

The leading State Championship wicket-taker backed his claims with 12 wickets in the State Shield one-day competition. He also took the bowler of the year award.

His 46 wickets in the four-day championship broke John Bracewell's record of 43 set in the 1986-87 season when teams played eight, rather than 10, three-day matches.

In one-day games, Canning conceded just 3.24 runs an over as Auckland won through to the final.

He backed his exploits with the ball by scoring 451 runs at an average of 37.58. He reached 113, his maiden first-class century, against Canterbury.

Yesterday was not a great day for Tim McIntosh.

Another to miss selection in the New Zealand team despite ending the first-class domestic season as the highest run-scorer, McIntosh was overlooked as Auckland batsman of the year, with the departing Aaron Barnes taking that honour.

The season's top wicketkeeper, Reece Young, was named young cricketer of the year at last night's function at Eden Park, attended by almost 300 guests.

Brent Bowden, just a day or two away from being named one of the world's elite panel, was named Auckland umpire of the year.

Natalee Scripps (bowler) and Emily Drumm (batsman) were the Auckland women's players of the year, while North Shore's Bradford Leonard (premier), University's Geoffrey Waterhouse (first grade) and Grafton's Helen Watson (first-grade women) were named club cricketers of the year.