Rodney Ford named cricket of the year in UGSCA after stellar season with bat and ball for Williams

Williams stalwart Rodney Ford has made a clean sweep of the major Upper Great Southern Cricket Association A-grade awards. Ford was recognised for his brilliant season on Saturday, March 18 after the UGSCA grand finals were completed. The former WA Country XI captain and talented all-rounder won the prestigious cricketer of the year honour. He finished with 1038 points across the season, leading Williams to yet another finals campaign after they finished as minor premiers before going down in the decider. Ford also claimed both the batting and bowling trophies in the A-grade competition. A superb season with the bat yielded 583 runs at 97.17 to win both the aggregate and average awards. He also took 19 wickets at 7.74 to receive the bowling aggregate and average honours. Only two other A-grade awards were not won by Ford. Cuballing premiership captain Grady Francis won the medal as the best player in the grand final while Pingelly-Noonebin young gun Jack Blechynden won the under-21 cricketer of the year gong with 623 points. In the B-grade competition, Kukerin-Dumbleyung were named both minor premiers and then premiers while Scott Gray was named player of the grand final. Harrismith’s Rohan Bilney won the cricket of the year honour after a terrific season to collect 606 points. Bilney’s teammate Caen Taylor won the batting aggregate trophy with 351 runs while Wagin’s Drew McAuliffe won the average with 155. Kukerin-Dumbleyung’s John Allanson claimed both the bowling aggregate and average awards, taking 20 wickets at an incredible average of 4.3. The under-21 cricketer of the year for B-grade was Wickepin’s Brock Pockran with 463 points. The UGSCA also recognised the best player of senior country week with Lake Grace’s Kalan Joyce receiving the honour with 304 points.