Photo Credit: South Australian Cricket Association
Sarah Lowe and Shania McKinnon, and Brad Davis and Sam Kerber have won SACA Premier Cricket’s top gongs in the 2020-21 season.
Lowe (Kensington) and McKinnon (Southern District) both scored 21 votes in a scintillating Statewide Super First Grade competition to claim the Karen Rolton Medals.
Davis and Kerber could not be separated either, with both top order-batsmen polling 27 votes for Sturt and Adelaide University respectively in West End First Grade to each win their first Bradman Medals.
It is the first time in history that both Medal counts have been tied, with Premier Cricket’s highest honours awarded to the cricketers that poll the highest number of votes as cast by umpires in their respective First Grade competitions.
Kensington captain Lowe claimed her second Karen Rolton Medal after first winning the award in the 2016-17 season, and she remains Kensington’s only other winner to Anita Silva.
The allrounder was impressive with bat and ball throughout the season, scoring 198 runs along with 12 wickets as she led her side to a spot in the finals.
McKinnon enjoyed an incredible season at the top of the order and with the ball for Southern District, with 341 runs and eight wickets, including one century and two fifties.
The right-hand batter has also played a pivotal role in the Stingrays’ charge to the competition’s final with her last two knocks entailing 40 not out and 59.
McKinnon is Southern’s second Rolton medallist, after Tahlia McGrath claimed the club’s first major individual prize in 2014-15.
In second place was McGrath (West Torrens) with 17 votes, and Kensington’s Rachel Church with 16.
Sturt senior batsman Brad Davis continued his long-term stellar form into the 2020-21 season, taking home his first Bradman Medal in a campaign that featured 708 runs at 70.80.
Davis had a top score of 150 not out along with three centuries and three fifties to round out another solid year from the Blues veteran.
He becomes the seventh Sturt Cricket Club player to win a Bradman, and follows in his father Garry’s footsteps, who also took out the award as a joint winner in 1982-83.
Sam Kerber is the first University recipient of the award since Mike Smith in the 2000-01 season, with 757 runs at the phenomenal 94.63.
Kerber also took 21 wickets with left-arm orthodox spin, as University witnessed its seventh Bradman medallist.
The 26-year-old’s prolific form guided University to all three finals this season, and his efforts were celebrated by a maiden call-up to South Australia’s Sheffield Shield side to play Queensland in Brisbane.
His team-mate Will Bosisto polled in third place with 26 votes, followed by Woodville’s Conor McInerney who was just behind on 25.
Karen Rolton Medal
Winners: Sarah Lowe, Kensington (21 votes),
Shania McKinnon, Southern District (21 votes)
2nd: Tahlia McGrath, West Torrens (17 votes)
3rd: Rachel Church, Kensington (16 votes)
Bradman Medal
Winners: Sam Kerber, Adelaide University (27 votes),
Brad Davis, Sturt (27 votes)
2nd: William Bosisto, Adelaide University (26 votes)
3rd: Conor McInerney, Woodville (25 votes)
2020-21 Statewide Super Premier Cricket Women’s Team of the Year – voted on by captains and coaches of each club: Tahlia McGrath (West Torrens), Shania McKinnon (Southern District), Rachel Church (Kensington), Tegan McPharlin (WK) (Northern Districts), Courtney Webb (Glenelg), Emma de Broughe (Sturt), Anesu Mushangwe (Glenelg), Sarah Lowe (C) (Kensington), Kelly Armstrong (Southern District), Jacinta Goodger-Chandler (Glenelg), Shae Daly (Kensington), Mary Waldron (Glenelg)
Statewide Super Coach of the Year: Nick Stuart
2020-21 West End Premier Cricket Men’s Team of the Year – voted on by captains and coaches of each club: Bailey Capel (West Torrens), William Bosisto (Adelaide University), Brad Davis (Sturt), Ryan Gibson (West Torrens), Sam Kerber (Adelaide University), Mark Cosgrove (C) (Northern Districts), Isaac Conway (WK) (Port Adelaide), Corey Kelly (Sturt), Ben Turley (Woodville), Joe Medew-Ewen (Port Adelaide), Lewis Hatchett (Southern District), Jake Brown (Kensington)
West End Coach of the Year: Russell Thompson (Kensington)
Premier Cricket Umpire of the Year: Mary Waldron
Premier Cricket Volunteer of the Year:Annie Schiller (Northern Districts)
Shelley Nitschke Medal (Statewide Super Twenty20 Cup Player of the Series): Tahlia McGrath (West Torrens)
Marg Jude Wicketkeeping Trophy: Rachel Church (Kensington)
Joanne Broadbent Fielding Trophy: Annie O’Neil (Sturt)
Fred Godson Medal (West End One Day Cup Player of the Series): Jake Brown (Kensington), Sam Kerber (Adelaide Uni)
Darren Lehmann Medal (West End Twenty20 Cup Player of the Series): Conor McInerney (Woodville)
CW Walker Memorial Trophy (Most Outstanding Wicketkeeper): Isaac Conway (Port Adelaide)
Talbot Smith Fielding Trophy: Sam Kerber (Adelaide Uni), Harvey Brennan (Woodville)
Jason Gillespie Medal (Male Rising Star): Zac Worden (Port Adelaide)
Name of Author: South Australian Cricket Association
The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) is the governing body for cricket in South Australia. Based in Adelaide, it oversees the South Australian men’s and women’s teams and manages the South Australian Grade Cricket League.
