Clayton Bruce-Cherry clear winner for Doug Hogue medal as Ruth Vorster finishes on top in close women’s battle

Clayton Bruce-Cherry won the GRCB’s highest individual honour on Saturday night at the 13th annual Doug Hogue Night at The Gerald. Wanderers all-rounder Bruce-Cherry was a clear winner for the medal, decided by votes awarded by umpires after each A-grade game. He polled 18 votes to hold off Jason Partington on 13, with Ringo McKenna and Carl Shilling on 12 and Jarrod Jupp 12. “I’m still new in town but I knew last year when Jai Russell was a co-winner and how emotional he was that it’s very special and I am humbled to win it,” Bruce-Cherry said. “I want to thank my Wanderers family who have made me feel very welcome and all those who make Geraldton cricket what it is – there is certainly a lot of talent here.” The all-rounder scored 467 at 29.18 while also taking 31 wickets at an average under 10 in a great year. Bruce-Cherry also won Cricketer of the Year, the Keeffe Medal as best player at Country Week and three of the four A-grade awards. Ruth Vorster was awarded women’s cricketer of the year in an extremely close battle with teammate Janelle Phillips and Wanderers star Olivia Bidwell. Vorster took 15 wickets at 11.33 while also scoring 237 runs in what was an otherwise difficult year for the Towns’ women. Doug Hogue Medal: Clayton Bruce-Cherry A-Grade Cricketer of the Year: Clayton Bruce-Cherry Women’s Cricketer of the Year: Ruth Vorster B-grade Cricketer of the Year: Scott Harrison Chris D’Mello U21 Award Best Player: Kade Gillingham Rose and Frank Shaw Best U19 Player: Kodi Giltrow Keeffe Medal (Country Week best): Clayton Bruce-Cherry A-Grade awards: Batting agg – Clayton Bruce-Cherry 467 runs Batting ave – Clayton Bruce-Cherry 29.18 Bowling agg – Clayton Bruce-Cherry 31 wkts Bowling ave – Ringo McKenna 8.93 Women’s awards: Batting agg – Olivia Bidwell 284 runs Batting ave – Olivia Bidwell 31.55 Bowling agg – Jo Walker 20 wkts Bowling ave – Ashlyn Thompson 5.50 B-Grade awards: Batting agg – Scott Harrison 556 runs Batting ave – Scott Harrison 55.60 Bowling agg – Paul Warhurst 24 wkts Bowling ave – Seth Farmer 10.16 Umpire of the Year (Swarbrick Medal): Chris Collins