Blaze and Firebirds batters Georgia Plimmer and Troy Johnson have won the male and female Most Promising Players Awards on day two of Cricket Wellington’s Celebration of Cricket.

Plimmer has had a breakout summer for the Wellington Blaze and was a standout for the Wellington Under-19 side at the National Under-19 tournament in Lincoln in January.

The 17-year-old was the fifth leading run-scorer in the competition with 185 runs and averaged just over 26.

She appeared in all but one of the Blaze’s Dream11 Super Smash matches and showed why she is one of the best fielders in the squad throughout the competition. She played a more senior role in the Blaze’s Hallyburton Johnstone Shield campaign, appearing in all ten matches.

Plimmer was also selected alongside fellow Blaze player Tash Codyre in the first ever New Zealand Under-19 women’s team to face a New Zealand Police Women’s XI and a New Zealand Provincial Women’s XI.

Johnson has taken his first full season as an officially contracted Firebird in his stride, establishing himself as a regular in the Firebirds squad across all three formats.

The 23-year-old scored his maiden List-A century in the Firebirds round six Ford Trophy match against Auckland in December and followed it up with 114, his maiden first-class century, against Northern Districts in March.

Johnson scored 350 runs in the Ford Trophy with two half-centuries to go with his maiden hundred. He also played a vital role in the Firebirds’ successful Dream11 Super Smash title defence and registered a maiden T20 half-century with 50 not out against the Auckland Aces at the Basin Reserve on Christmas Eve.

Johnson’s leadership and dedication to the Firebirds was rewarded as he was selected to captain the side in the second half of the Ford Trophy campaign.

The side won three out of the five matches under his captaincy, falling at the second to last hurdle in the elimination final against Northern Districts at Seddon Park.

Eastern Suburbs was awarded the Royal Visit Cup (Wellington Aggregate) for the club that earns the most points across all grades, while Taita District won the Norwood Cup (Wellington Average) for the club that earns the highest average amount of points across all club grades.

Cricket Wellington’s Celebration of Cricket will continue this week as all award winners are announced daily on the Cricket Wellington social media channels, before the major awards are announced at the Celebration of Cricket event on Friday evening.

Celebration of Cricket | 2020/21 Award Winners

Ground of the Year - Hutt Recreation Ground
Best and Fairest Club Captain - Sean O'Connor (Onslow Premiers)
Best and Fairest Club Team - Onslow Premiers
Royal Visit Cup (Wellington Aggregate) – Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club
Norwood Cup (Wellington Average) – Taita District Cricket Club

U19 Female Player of the Year - Tash Codyre
U19 Male Player of the Year - Tim Robinson
U20 Young Cricketer of the Year - Devan Vishvaka
U23 Young Cricketer of the Year - Rachin Ravindra
Provincial A Men's Player of the Year - Nick Greenwood
Most Promising Female Player – Georgia Plimmer
Most Promising Male Player – Troy Johnson

Article added: Tuesday 13 April 2021