Devon Cricket Board - Parker and Needham take Barton awards

Parker and Needham take Barton awards

Members of Barton's youth section show off their trophies and certificates
SKIPPER Adam Parker and opening batsman Sean Needham picked up coveted awards as Barton celebrated a successful season at their annual awards presentation night.
The 1st team were B Division champions last season and won the Torbay Pro Direct 20/20 tournament, while the 2nd XI were Brockman Cup winners.
All-rounder Parker and Needham shared the player's player award.
Needham also won the player of the season vote from supporters and took the 1st XI batting award with 546 runs at an average of 42.
Newly-converted spinner Stuart Bowker won the 1st XI bowling with 35 wickets at an average of 10.86.
Willie Wyatt, in his first season back at the club after a spell with Corries, won the 2nd XI player of the season award.
The batting went to Martin Powell for his 179 runs and average of 29, with the ever-green veteran Mike Lievesley winning the bowling averages with 25 wickets at an average of 9.24.
Barton’s youth section also celebrated a good year both on and off the field at their annual presentations.
The club has teams competing in the 11s, 13s, 15s and 17s age groups of the South Devon Youth League and managed to complete almost all their games despite a season dogged by terrible weather.
The under-13s won their division and the 15s were runners-up in their league.
All-rounder Jamie Peters, now a regular in the 2nd XI and with his sights on a 1st XI place, was named Colt of the Year, with Matt Lipton, another all-rounder with huge potential, picking up the Overall Most Improved Colt trophy.
Every youngster received a certificate on the night to recognise their efforts during the year.
Other winners were: Merit awards: U11s - Adrian Lipton, Cole Harford and Louis Smith; U13s - Neil Spencer, Kofie Shaw and Bertie Youd; U15s - Alex Kidd and Zak Gartrell; U17s - Matt Wreford and Tirion Swart.
County awards: Cole Harford and Tirion Swart.
Most improved players: U11s - Jack Bell; U13s – Vidusha; U15s - Alex Kidd; U17s - Kyle Lardner; Craig Lardner Shield - Adam Styles; Tormohun Lodge Trophy - Kyle Lardner; Abe Stringer Award - Alex Hunt; Barton Surgery Shield - Tirion Swart; President's Clubman of the Year - Matt Beech; President's Colt of the Year - Morgan Harford; Mike Cribbett Award - Cole Harford.
The presentation night also heard that Barton had just completed its sixth year of its Chance to Shine programme, which has seen coaches coaching in two secondary schools and three primaries.
The programme highlights the importance of the club’s links with the local community which it hopes to develop further.
It also emphasises the club’s on-going policy of nurturing younger players and giving them the chance of becoming the club's stars of tomorrow.
Barton's small army of volunteers, ranging from coaches to ground staff and scorers, tea ladies and bar staff, were thanked for their tireless support.
So, too, were the club's sponsors, including on-line sports firm Pro-Direct, Lathams and all those individuals and organisations who had contributed to last season’s fixture book.
New sponsors were welcome on the night with the Skipton Building Society presenting a new playing kit for the U15s. John Rawley (right) handed over the shirts to Barton's Tom Porter (left)
The youth section will be back in winter training shortly with sessions run by ECB qualified coaches.
They start again on Friday, January 11 and run every Friday at the St Cuthbert Mayne School sports hall in Trumlands Road, Torquay, from 6pm to 7.30pm (eight to under-11s) and 7.30pm to 9pm (11s to 17s).
Anybody with queries can ring 01803 327614 or 07703129682.

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