Matthew Hart caps year with Northern Districts award

Northern Districts have decided to recognise some of the leading lights from their past by presenting annual awards in their honour.

The move was announced at tonight's annual presentation evening in which Matthew Hart was named the Air New Zealand Travelcentre Northern Districts' Player of the Year.

Hart, 30, who made his debut for ND in 1990/91, scored 546 runs during the State Championship, including a double century against Auckland.

In the State Shield he scored 301 runs at 30.10.

TelstraClear Black Cap Scott Styris was awarded the batsman of the year. He achieved a Test century on debut in the West Indies midway through last year and scored a century at the recently-completed World Cup against Sri Lanka.

The bowler of the year was Joseph Yovich who took 24 wickets at 34.00 in the State Championship and headed the State Shield bowling statistics with 23 wickets at 18.86.

James Marshall was the fielder of the year and Nicola Browne the women's cricketer of the year.

Other winners were:

Eric Petrie Cup for top club team in Northern Districts - Eastern Suburbs, ND Women's District Association Championship - Hamilton, Bruce Pairaudeau Cup for the top Under-19 District Association team - Hamilton, Basil McBurney Trophy - Hamilton, Fergus Hickey Rosebowl - Northland, Brian Dunning Cup for the inter-district one-day competition - Northland and Hamilton, Allan McBride Trophy for Service to Junior Cricket - Mike Nitz, Umpire of the Year - Ian Shine, Young Cricketer of the Year - Matthew Drake.