NatWest has been a proud sponsor of Cricketing Communities in England and Wales for 39 years and its sponsorship of cricket starts from the ground up, from community club cricket grounds to the pinnacle of the professional game. This year’s NatWest Cricket Awards have ensured heroes from the recreational game are honoured alongside the international stars.
The stories of the three NatWest OSCAs winners have been captured in heart-warming videos, which were broadcast during Sky Sports’ coverage of Vitality Blast Finals Day this weekend.
Isleham Cricket Club in Cambridgeshire won the NatWest Connecting Communities Award.
The club set up a volunteer group of more than 100 people to help the elderly and vulnerable during lockdown delivering up to 300 fruit and vegetable boxes a week. An unused telephone box was used as a community pantry while iPads were donated to those with family members in hospital so they could stay in touch.
County Councillor, Mark Goldsach, said:“It was all about what was needed to help the most vulnerable in the village. It’s just exploded into a whole plethora of services that has been an absolute life’s pleasure to be involved with. It has really bought the community together.”
The NatWest Proactive Leadership Within The Community Award was won by Macclesfeld Cricket Club third team captain Miles Horner who set up a club podcast to keep the club entertained and became so popular it has been listened to in 14 different countries.
Over Cricket Club chair Jane Reeson is the heartbeat of the Cambridgeshire club and was a worthy recipient of the #RaisetheBat Award after spending long hours every day working with the community and helping to organise the club during the enforced hiatus after she had been furloughed.
ECB Director of Participation and Growth, Nick Pryde, said: “In this most difficult of summers the community spirit of our cricket clubs across England and Wales has shone through and provided another reminder of the importance our game can play in the lives of so many people.
“This year’s NatWest Outstanding Service to Cricket Awards showcase the very best of our game and the lengths people will go to in a time of crisis. I want to join in the rest of the cricket community in conveying my utmost thanks to all volunteers who have gone above and beyond this summer and to thank you all for your considerable efforts.”
To find out more about NatWest’s involvement in cricket at all levels of the game, head to: natwest.com/cricket
Full list of NatWest Cricket Award winners
- NatWest PCA Men’s Player of the Year – Chris Woakes (England / Warwickshire)
- NatWest PCA Women’s Player of the Year – Sarah Glenn (England Women)
- Vitality PCA Young Player of the Year – Zak Crawley (England / Kent)
- Test Player of the Summer – Stuart Broad
- Royal London ODI Player of the Summer – David Willey
- Vitality IT20 Player of the Summer – Dawid Malan
- Bob Willis Trophy Player of the Year – Craig Overton (Somerset)
- Vitality Blast Player of the Year - tbc
- Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Player of the Year – Georgia Adams (Southern Vipers)
- Greene King Team of the Year – Alastair Cook (Essex), Jake Libby (Worcestershire), Tom Lammonby (Somerset), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Will Jacks (Surrey), Chris Cooke (Glamorgan) [wk], Ryan Higgins (Gloucestershire), Craig Overton (Somerset), Simon Harmer (Essex) [c], Josh Davey (Somerset)
- ECB Special Award – Prof Dr Nick Peirce (ECB)
- #Raisethebat Award – Jane Reeson (Over CC, Cambridgeshire)
- Connecting Communities Award – Isleham CC, Cambridgeshire
- Proactive Leadership Award – Miles Horner (Macclesfield CC, Cheshire)
