In fact, he wasn’t going to play the 2013-14 season.

The Northern Suburbs bowler cleaned up at the Maitland District Cricket Association presentation on Saturday night winning a host of awards.

Field was named as the Bradley Shone Memorial representative player of the year after taking out the John Bull Shield bowling aggregate as well as the Chris Mudd Memorial first grade player of the final after leading his team to their first premiership since 2010-11.

The left-armer was ruled out for the season on the Friday afternoon at training before Norths first game of the campaign with a knee injury.

Field said it was a devastating blow.

“I was absolutely crushed,” he said. 

“I was hobbling around on one leg on that Friday trying to do laps of the oval. I thought I was gone for the year.”

Field decided to rehabilitate the injury and put off surgery until the off season and returned for Norths after Christmas to take 28 wickets. 

As well as the John Bull Shield victory, Field was part of the Norths team that won the minor-major premiership double and the Hunter Valley Cup.

Field said he spoke to Norths captain Josh Callinan and decided it would be better for his knee and the team if he did not play the grand final.

“My knee was gone by the end of the season, I rested myself from the last game against Kurri,” he said.

“I spoke to Josh and the plan was to play the semi-final when Lincoln [Mills] was away and then sit out the grand final because I was just done.

“But after that semi and that wave of emotion I knew I had to keep going and finish the job.”

Norths only made the decider because of Field’s performance in that semi-final.

The minor-premiers lost the first innings of their semi against Easts despite Field taking six wickets, but went on to claim an amazing outright victory to make the grand final.

Field took another seven ­wickets in the second innings ­giving him 13 for the match, all on one leg.

“It was definitely the best year of my cricket,” he said.

“I can’t see it being surpassed, as a team with Norths and Maitland we won everything, there was nothing left to win.

“Personally I’ve never bowled as well as I did in that John Bull final and then the final series.”

The 23-year-old, who had arthroscopic surgery on his knee last week to remove cartilage, said he had plenty of future goals lined up.

“I can’t enjoy my cricket any more than I do when I’m playing with Norths,” he said.

“I still want to better my cricket, I plan on going to the UK in 2015 and I was picked in the Hunter Valley team at the start of the year but obviously I couldn’t play.

“I would love to get picked for Central North and go away to that carnival but I love playing for Norths.”

See Wednesday’s Mercury for the one-day awards and Thursday’s Mercury for a full list of statistical award winners

1st Grade Player of the Year: Andrew Trappel (Western Suburbs)

2nd Grade Player of the Year: Riley Harrison (Western Suburbs)

3rd Grade Player of the Year: Greg Mudd (Northern Suburbs)

4th Grade Player of the Year: Connor Lupton (Western Suburbs)

5th Grade Player of the Year: Mitchell Lea (City United)

1st Grade Player of the Final: Mitch Field (Northern Suburbs)

Hunter Valley Colt Player of the Year: Tom Irwin

Representative Player of the Year: Mitch Field

Junior Player of the Year: Branden Smith

Fielder of the Year: Anru Kriel (City United)

Umpire of the Year: Glen Crew

Umpires’ Encouragement Award: Neil Berthold