All-rounder Jack scoops silverware
Emerging all-rounder Jack Batchelor capped off a breakout season when he was awarded Albany junior cricket's highest individual honour among a swag of other awards at the junior association's presentation night late last month.
Jack was awarded the Joe Menegola Trophy as the most outstanding player in the Albany Junior Cricket Association as well as winning the under-17 cricketer of the year, batting aggregate and average trophies with 296 runs at an average of 98.67
The 16-year-old, who captained North County in the under-17s competition but plays A-grade for Royals, said he was humbled to receive the award named after the late Menegola, who was arguably one of Albany's greatest cricketers.
"It's definitely a big honour, I wasn't realty expecting it going into the night … I was pretty stoked to receive it," he said.
After making his A-grade debut in 2013, the young left-arm seamer snared 19 wickets this season for Royals in 12 matches and was a key figure in the Lions making a return to the finals.
He also captained Albany's First XI at junior country week and was the competition's equal leading wicket-taker with 12 wickets and contributed some handy lower-order innings'.
Jack said the injection of senior players into the Royals A-grade side and his work with regional development officer Ross Stephen had helped him progress.
"Definitely with the Warriors boys coming over, guys like Gibbo (co-captain Rob Gibson) have been a real mentor to me," he said.
"I want to keep playing with Royals and help build them to become a better club."
Railways spinner Fynn Underwood claimed the most wickets in the under-17 competition with 12 wickets, while Jack's younger brother Ted Batchelor took home the bowling average award with 10 wickets at an average of only 4.80.
Josh Noakes was crowned under-14 cricketer of the year after a stand-out season for the Redbacks where he amassed 335 runs at an average of 67.
Scorchers batsman Tom Hunt averaged almost 90 to win the batting average award after smashing 267 runs, while Patrick Moriarty was the leading wicket-taker with 12 scalps.
