Cricket: Whanganui's Jess Watkin named Central Districts women's player of the year

Whanganui's Jess Watkin was named the Central Hinds Player of the Year for the second time at the online awards ceremony this week. Photo / File

Whanganui cricket prodigy Jess Watkin is getting used to receiving good news on the week of her birthdays.

Two years ago, Watkin received her first international callup to the White Ferns, joining their camp five days after her she turned 20, and then on Tuesday evening, two days before turning 22, the Central Hinds allrounder and co-captain for the Super Smash competition was recognised as the women's player of the year in the Central Districts Cricket Awards.

It was the second time Watkin has received the honour, following on from 2017-18, while she also collected the Super Smash player of the year prize from Tuesday's ceremony.

Due to the social distancing required at Level 3 in the Covid-19 pandemic, the award winners were all announced in a livestream on the Central Districts association's social media platforms.

Players, coaches, officials and their families watched the awards in their home locations, which for Watkin is currently down in the South Island with her partner in Geraldine.

"I knew about the player of the year award, because I had to do the [acceptance] video, so I found out on Sunday, had to do the video on Monday night," Watkin said.

"I didn't expect a call about it, because I thought we were still having our prizegiving, just pushed later on, so I didn't even think about it.

"There's definitely other people that could have got it as well, so I think I was pretty surprised."

In his season review, Hinds coach Jamie Watkins said the young Whanganui veteran had been the highest run-scorer across both the Super Smash (Twenty20) and Hallyburton Johnstone Shield (50 over) competitions with 660, while she took 13 wickets bowling her spinners early in the innings, when fielding restrictions were still in place.

The highlights included her magnificent 158 against the Wellington Blaze in the Shield competition, while she had solid scores in the Super Smash with 95 against Northern Spirit and 58 against the Auckland Hearts.

"Jess also moved into a captaincy role for the first time at this level, co-captaining the Super Smash campaign with Hannah Rowe," said the coach.

"This leadership contributed greatly to the more competitive season — Jess's positive mindset and lead-from-the-front approach inspiring the squad.

"Jess was the leading run-scorer for the Hinds in the competition with 275 runs at a stunning strike rate of 152."

Watkin acknowledged that the Taranaki-based Dodd and Manawatu star Rowe were also top contenders for the season player award – Rowe being the leading wicket taker while wicketkeeper Dodd shared in some healthy partnerships with Watkin.

"I was even with the runs for one-dayers with Natalie Dodd. When you look at it, I only got one [big] score and that was pretty much it."

It was a mixed bag for the Hinds – only just missing out on the Super Smash playoffs with a final round robin loss to the Otago Sparks, despite Watkin taking 2-16.

Watkin mobbed by team mates after a wicket in the Dream11 Super Smash against the Otago Sparks in Dunedin on January 11. Photo / Photosport.nz

However, also missing the playoffs in the Hallyburton Johnstone was more disappointing, having won the title the previous summer.

"We were pretty stoked with the Twenty20, because last season we literally didn't win one game, so it was pretty cool to see," Watkin said.

"Myself and Rowey were leading the team for that, so there was a lot of changes, and I think the team adapted pretty well.

"But the one-dayers, obviously last year we won it, so we were pretty disappointed with how we went this season, but we've still taken a lot of good things out of some of the performances, so it wasn't like a write-off."

The awards were also a pleasant diversion for the normally very active Watkin, who would usually be getting into her off-season pursuits by now, without the stay-at-home orders for the pandemic.

"I actually just joined up to a hockey club down here, we went through all the trials and stuff, and then this happened.

"Everything's been put on hold, I've only just met them, and I feel like I don't even know them again."

But despite current circumstances and her South Island residence, Watkin is still committed to returning home to fly the local flags next summer season, which will hopefully progress in a normal fashion, post Covid-19 recovery.

"I'll still play for CD, and I'm hoping to come back to play for the Wanganui Women's team, because I'll be spending a lot of time in the North Island anyway with all of the domestic stuff," she said.

"I'll try to work it in with all the Wanganui games."

Also flying the flag on Tuesday night was Watkin's club cricket team mate and Unreal Grass Wicket Wanganui allrounder Akash Gill, who was named the Hawke Cup player of the year.

Currently back home in Ontario, Canada, the Whanganui Chronicle hopes to speak to Gill next week.

Watkin Season Highlights

•The 385 runs from nine Hallyburton Johnstone Shield games was her highest season aggregate, at a 42.77 average, including one century and two half centuries.

•Scored a one-day career-best 158 that was also her maiden domestic one-day century; and took six wickets with best bowling of 3-28.

•The 275 runs from 10 Super Smash innings was also her highest season aggregate in the T20 format, at a 27.50 average. This included two half centuries with a season best of 95. Took seven wickets for the T20 season with a best of 2-16.

Central Districts Cricket Awards, 2019-20.

Central Stags
Dream11 Super Smash Player of the Year — Kieran Noema-Barnett (Hawke's Bay)
The Ford Trophy Player of the Year — George Worker (Manawatū)
Plunket Shield Player of the Year — Willem Ludick (Nelson)
Players' Player of the Year — Dane Cleaver (Manawatū)
Player of the Year — Dane Cleaver (Manawatū)

Central Hinds
Dream11 Super Smash Player of the Year — Jess Watkin (Whanganui)
Hallyburton Johnstone Shield Player of the Year — Hannah Rowe (Manawatū)
Emerging Player of Year — Ashtuti Kumar (Manawatū)
Players' Player of the Year — Natalie Dodd (Taranaki)
Player of the Year — Jess Watkin (Whanganui)

Other
Distinguished Achievement Award — Ross Taylor (100 Tests, 100 T20is, 100 NZ caps in all formats, NZ Test runs record)
Special Award — Kate Baxter (Taranaki)
CD A Player of the Year – Ma'ara Ave (Marlborough)
Hawke Cup Player of the Year — Akash Gill (Whanganui)
Chapple Cup Player of the Tournament — Arana Noema-Barnett (Manawatū)
CD U19 Player of the Year (Men) — Jordan Gard (Taranaki)
CD U19 Player of the Year (Women) — Saffron Wilson (Nelson)
CD U17 Player of the Year — Curtis Heaphy (Manawatū)
CD Umpire of the Year — Glen Walklin (Hawke's Bay)
Scorer Recognition Award — Duncan Mitchell (Manawatū) and Bev Baker (Hawke's Bay)
CD Supporter of the Year — Nixon Herd