South Africa’s world class all-rounder Jacques Kallis has been nominated in five categories and the teams’ leading fast bowler Makhaya Ntini in four in the inaugural SA Cricket Awards being hosted next week by the United Cricket Board of South Africa and sponsored by Mutual and Federal.
There are a total of 26 awards covering both professional and amateur cricket and recognising players at all levels of the game, from under-13 level through to the SA National team.
Awards will also be made to those who work behind the scenes and the efforts of administrators, groundsmen, scorers and umpires will all be acknowledged.
The major professional award, the prestigious Mutual and Federal SA Cricketer of the Year, recognises the achievements of the leading South African player in Test and ODI cricket over the last year.
The South African National team played 28 ODI’s and 16 Test matches in the period under review (April 2003 to April 2004). The nominees are South African captain Graeme Smith, Herschelle Gibbs, Shaun Pollock, Gary Kirsten, Makhaya Ntini and Jacques Kallis.
The nominees for the Standard Bank ODI Cricketer of the Year are Pollock, Ntini and Kallis.
Graeme Smith’s prolific first full year in Test cricket has been recognised as he is nominated alongside Kallis and Ntini for the Castle Lager/MTN Test Cricketer of the Year award.
There is a good mix of youth and experience among the nominees for the awards in the domestic cricket categories.
The experienced Adam Bacher is joined by his youthful Highveld Strikers teammate Stephen Cook and Griquas batsman Loots Bosman as nominees for the Standard Bank One-Day Domestic Cricketer of the Year.
In the SuperSport Four-Day Cricketer of the Year category, Easterns prolific batsman Zander de Bruyn is joined by two internationals, Dolphins all rounder Lance Klusener and Western Province left arm fast bowler Charl Willoughby.
The Domestic Newcomer Award will go to one of three candidates: North West batsman Ryan Bailey, Highveld Strikers wicketkeeper Ahmed Omar or Titans batsman AB de Villiers.
The SA Cricket Awards will be presented at a gala banquet in Johannesburg on Thursday 22 April. – Sapa