Kurri Weston skipper Sam Dalibozek was named the Maitland cricket first grade player of the year award at the Maitland District Cricket Association awards on Saturday night.
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It was a night the competition highlighted the exploits of players across the grades including those of 11-year-old Charlie Lovegrove who won the 5th grade player of the year award as well as the batting and bowling aggregates.
While sickness prevented him from attending he did get a special video message sent to him by guest speaker former Aussie Test fast bowler Brett Lee.
"Sorry you couldn't be here tonight, unfortunately, but from all reports you've been on fire with fifth grade cricket. Most wickets and most amount of runs, keep up the good work," Lee said in his message to Charlie who played a crucial role in his side's premiership win taking 4-18 in the grand final for the team which had be ferried by the SES across flood waters to make its semi-final.
Lee showed his class even further by delivering his speaking fee back to the association.
Back to the runs and wickets of the night and Dalibozek made and captured plenty of both to lead the Warriors from the front to secure a spot in the finals when many had expected them to finish outside the top four.
He finished the season with 19 wickets including a best of 5-76 and two bags of four in important wins over Eastern Suburbs and Tenambit Morpeth.
Dalibozek also made 273 runs at an average of 47, including two 50s with a top score of 73.
Western Surburbs captain Mitchell Fisher won the Chris Mudd Memorial Shield as the first grade player of the finals and Joe Hancock won the David Fort Memorial Shield as the best first grade fielder for the second year running.
At the representative level, Brayden Brooks won the Bradley Shone Memorial Shield as the representative player of the year.
Brooks' young brother Jaxson was junior player of the year.
Western Suburbs all-rounder Riley Harrison won the Max Elphick Trophy as second grade player of the year.
Noel Kalathil from Tenambit Morpeth won the Mitchell Lane Trophy as third grade player of the year.
Tenambit Morpeth's Rick Kuszelyk won the fourth grade player of the year.
One of the most popular winners was Rutherford Hotel's Deepak Mehta who won the A-grade player of the year award.
Rajak Shaik, from Tenambit Morpeth, was awarded the Ken Lane Memorial Trophy as the B-grade player of the year.
David Thompson from The Belmore Hotel won the David Johnston Trophy for C-grade player of the year.
In the umpires ranks, Michael Schultz took out the Bernie Burgess Memorial umpires encouragement award.
Rob Humphries won the Lindsay Wood Award for first grade umpire of the year.
Glenn Miller took out the Ernie Jurd Memorial Award as the umpire of the year.