Klinger cleans up at annual awards night
2 October 2015
Michael Klinger capped a fantastic year by picking up four prizes at Gloucestershire Cricket’s end of season awards night.
The prolific batsman – who is back home in Australia preparing for their domestic season – won the coveted double of Supporters’ Player, and Players’ Player of the Year Awards at the event at the Bristol Pavilion.
In his absence he was also awarded the Moreton C Cullimore Cup for Batsman of the Year and the inaugural John Higson One-Day Performance of the Year - in honour of the club’s former chairman and president who passed away in February.
The former was handed out in recognition of the 35-year-old’s 1600 runs in 2015 while the latter was given for Michael’s match-winning 137* against Yorkshire in the Royal London Cup semi-final.
Five other players received awards at the ceremony, which was hosted by Sky Sports’ David Fulton and featured 2005 Ashes-winning fast bowler Simon Jones.
Fast bowler Craig Miles (21) scooped the Ray Parsons Young Player of the Year award in a season where he took 46 County Championship wickets at an average of 25 and established himself as a key player in the shorter forms of the game.
He was pipped to Bowler of the Year by fellow right arm seamer Liam Norwell who enjoyed a career-best return of 61 wickets in four-day cricket - the most by a Gloucestershire player.
The night offered numerous opportunities to celebrate the club’s historic Royal London One-Day Cup final win at Lord’s. One of these was for the Champagne Moment of the Year which went to Jack Taylor for the catch that dismissed Surrey’s last man Gareth Batty and secured Gloucestershire’s first major trophy in 11 years.
That glorious day at the Home of Cricket was Geraint Jones’ last as a professional cricketer and he joined Simon Jones and David Fulton in an on-stage conversation looking back at both the 2005 Ashes win and his time with Gloucestershire.
The 39-year-old - who had earlier received the President’s Cup for the Spirit of Cricket – said the sky is the limit for the squad he is leaving behind.
There was also a video tribute to Jones from his former international team mate and current ECB director of England Cricket Andrew Strauss.
In it he congratulated the former Kent wicketkeeper on having been a model professional, a great bloke and “living the dream” on three occasions; during his early days in the England team, winning the 2005 Ashes and bowing out of the game with the RL Cup win.
Earlier in the night Kieran Noema-Barnett and Tom Hampton were presented with their County Caps and George Hankins - who his first professional contract this week - collected the Collis Cup for Academy Player of the Year. The 18-year-old scored 854 runs in the 2nd XI in 2015 and also broke the record for runs in a season at Millfield School.
Gloucestershire Cricket Award Winners 2015
The Collis Cup – Academy Player of the Year: George Hankins
Ray Parsons Young Player of the Year: Craig Miles
Bowler of the Year: Liam Norwell
The Moreton C Cullimore Cup for Batsman of the Year: Michael Klinger
The President’s Cup for the Spirit of Cricket: Geraint Jones
Champagne Moment: Jack Taylor
The John Higson Cup for Best One Day Performance: Michael Klinger
Supporters’ Player of the Year: Michael Klinger
St Austell Brewery Players’ Player: Michael Klinger
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