Big night for Cecil Amey Opticians Norfolk Alliance
Chris Wise
Published: 9:10 AM November 27, 2018 Updated: 3:18 PM October 10, 2020
Norfolk Alliance Premier Division champions Fakenham face the camera with Robert Amey (front row, centre) Picture: CECIL AMEY - Credit: Archant
Over 200 players and officials attended the annual Cecil Amey Opticians Norfolk Alliance dinner at Wensum Valley Hotel.
Dereham Jake Anema, the Norfolk Alliance's leading wicket in 2018, with Robert Amey Picture: CECIL AMEY - Credit: Archant
League chairman Peter Thomas gave a vote of thanks to sponsors Robert and Emma Amey and also thanked his committee members for their hard work during a successful 2018 season.
A special mention was made of Dereham player Bradley Raper, who died in a road accident last month, and a collection was held in his honour.
It was an evening when individual and team successes were celebrated, with Robert Amey handing over all the awards.
The David Gooderham batting award went to Liam Conroy of Thetford who scored 1,135 runs at an average of 87.31 in his 18 innings as his team finished second in Division One.
Leading wicket-keeper Pascal Walker with Robert Amey Picture: CECIL AMEY - Credit: Archant
In normal circumstances that would have been enough to have gained promotion to the top flight but Thetford missed out on this occasion due to Norwich being relegated from the Gibbs Denley East Anglian League.
The winner of the David Crowe bowling award was Jake Anema of Dereham, the team who pipped Thetford to the Division One title and will be playing in the Premier Division in 2019. In his 152.2 overs Anema took 46 wickets for 382 runs at an outstanding average of 8.30, with 29 maidens along the way.
The Doug Mattocks wicket keeping award went to Pascal Walker of Garboldisham.
The winners of the seven senior divisions were Fakenham (Premier), Dereham (One), Swaffham (Two), Garboldisham A (Three), Hockwold (Four), Cromer A (Five) and Sandringham (Six).
Division Six winners Sandringham Picture: CECIL AMEY - Credit: Archant
Champions Fakenham went on to compete in the play-offs for a place in the East Anglian Premier League but were knocked out at the semi-final stage.
The junior competitions continue to thrive and representatives from the following winners received their respective trophies: John Dewing Under-Nine Trophy – Horsford, Terry Moore Under-11 Trophy - Brooke, Allan Bridgewater Under-13 Trophy – Horsford, Andy Seeley Under-15 Trophy – Great Melton.
The next date for the diary is the annual meeting which is being held on Wednesday, February 6 while March 31 is the deadline for league subscriptions.
Division Five champions Cromer A Picture: CECIL AMEY - Credit: Archant