West cricket writer wins WACA award
thewest.com.au cricket writer John Townsend’s coverage of Phil Hughes’ death, Australia’s win at the World Cup and Western Australia’s remarkable success over the summer has won him the WACA’s print and online media awards for 2014-15.
It was the 17th consecutive season that Townsend has won a major WACA cricket media award.
Townsend’s award as the State’s pre-eminent cricket writer was announced at the WACA’s Laurie Sawle Medal function on Thursday night.
The judges were particularly impressed by his empathetic reporting of the circumstances and aftermath of Hughes’ death after being struck by a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match this season.
Today Tonight reporter Mark Readings received the World Cup prize for his feature on Afghanistan’s war-torn path to the World Cup and their debut at the WACA Ground.
ABC duo Clint Wheeldon (radio) and Clint Thomas (television) won the respective electronic media awards while Getty’s Paul Kane was recognised as the best photographer.
Belinda Cipriano, from Community newspapers, produced the best grassroots story while Channel Nine’s Simone Luker was named the best emerging talent.
