Durban batsman claims top two cricket awards

HOLLYWOODBETS Dolphins batsman, Grant Roelofsen won two coveted awards, the Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season, at the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union’s annual awards recently.

Roelofsen was awarded his first full franchise contract at the beginning of the season and he dominated the run scoring charts in both the CSA 4-Day Domestic Series and the Momentum One Day Cup. The hard-hitting opening batsman was the highest run scorer in the Dolphins’ successful Momentum One Day Cup campaign and ended in sixth for runs scored in the 4-Day Domestic Series.

He also finished the white ball campaign as the wicket-keeper with the most dismissals. Roelofsen scored an impressive three centuries in the 4-Day Domestic Series with one fifty and then followed it up with one hundred and five fifties in the white ball competition.

“It was quite an emotional season for us as a team,” Roelofsen said. “We didn’t start well at all but, in the end, we finished well. In the second half of the four-day competition we found a template for the side and started to gel well and the results were a testament to that.”

For Daryn Dupavillon, the season peaked with a call-up to the national side and a One Day International debut against Australia in Potchefstroom, where be picked up his first international wicket. The speedster joked about how it took him six seasons at KZN Cricket to pick up the most improved player, but was grateful he could continue to contribute to the Dolphins following a tumultuous run of injuries.

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Marques Ackerman was awarded the Fielder of the Year accolade, which covers both red ball and white ball cricket. Kehsav Maharaj, who lead the Dolphins with aplomb in the Momentum One Day Cup, was awarded One Day Cup Player of the Year, while off-spinner, Prenelan Subrayen took home the 4-Day Domestic Series Player of the Season gong.

In the provincial awards, Thamsanqa Khumalo picked up three Hollywoodbets KZN Coastal awards. He took home Provincial One Day Batsman, a One Day Player of the Season and the Newcomer of the Season award. Keith Dudgeon was awarded One Day Bowler of the Season, while Zak Paruk won 3-Day Bowler of the Season, Bradley Proteous won 3-Day Batsman of the Season while Michael Erlank won 3-Day Player of the Season.

Young Momentum Protea Nonkululeko Mlaba was awarded Hollywoodbets KZN Coastal Women’s Player of the Season. For Hollywoodbets KZN Inland, Kurtlyn Mannikam won the Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season. Kyle Nipper received the 1-Day Player of the Season and Cameron Shecketon won the 3-Day Player of the Season award.

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