Josh Little and Arlene Kelly were the big winners at the 11th Clear Treasury Irish Cricket Awards on Friday night in Dublin, as they were respectively named Men’s and Women’s International Player of the Year for 2022.
Over 200 players, coaches, administrators, and friends gathered in the Marker Hotel for the first time at an in-person event since 2020, just before the Covid lockdowns took effect.
Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom paid tribute to the Government for assistance in getting the next phase of the construction of a national stadium at the Sport Ireland Campus underway and Minister of State for Sport Thomas Byrne was in attendance.
There will be a Test Match against England at Lords, Qualification for a World Cup and the visit of World Champions Australia in the Women’s game to look forward to in the year ahead.
Little had an outstanding year, becoming only the sixth player to take a hat-trick at an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, against New Zealand in the Super 12 stage. His excellent performances throughout the year were recognised when he was named in the ICC T20I Team of the Year and became the first active Irish cricketer to be offered a contract to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Kelly, who only made her Ireland debut in June, made an immediate impact as she was part of the side that beat South Africa in their opening T20 international at Pembroke. She was the highest wicket-taker in every T20 international series during 2022.
George Dockrell and Gaby Lewis were named Inter-Provincial and Super Series Player of the Year respectively, while Cade Carmichael and Jane Maguire won the Emerging Player of the Year awards.
In club cricket, Cork Harlequins were named Club of the Year, while David Delany and Amy Caulfield won men’s and women’s Club Player of the Year.
There were three inductees into the Irish Cricket Hall of Fame: Bob Lambert, Stella Owens, and Andre Botha, while Paul Reynolds was awarded the Outstanding Contribution and Service to Irish Cricket award.
Other award winners on the night were Simon Galloway (Volunteering Excellence Award), Brian Kelleher (Outstanding Contribution to Coaching), Declan Earley (Club Cricket Official of the Year), and Eglinton Cricket Club (Groundskeeping Team of the Year).
Each winner received an engraved award designed to the iconic Irish brand, Waterford Crystal – an organisation that is proudly extending its generational links with cricket.
Presentations were also made on the night to recent international retirees, William Porterfield, Kevin O’Brien, and Peter Chase, all who had long distinguished careers in the Irish jersey.
The evening also saw a special acknowledgment of the work of Gareth Thompson in driving women’s forward at CSNI Cricket Club and across the Northern Cricket Union.
