The Junior Taverner Award

Overview

The Junior Taverner of The Year Award is presented to the junior cricketer, male and female, judged to be not only the best junior cricketer worthy of financial support and encouragement, but a young person of special character.

Junior Taverners 2008 - Allison Kamphuis (female), Damon Smith (Male)

Junior Taverners 2008 - Damon Smith and Allison Kamphuis

Junior Taverner 2008 - Allison Kamphuis

Although Allison Kamphuis is only seventeen years old, she attended her second Under 19 championships earlier this year. Allison is a right arm opening bowler and bats in the lower order. During these championships Allison was the state's most successful bowler taking six wickets at an average of fifteen with best figures of three for twenty. Allison also represented Tasmanian in the Cricket Australia cup played in Hobart in December 2008.

Allison attends Leighland Christian School in Ulverstone. She plays for Riana Cricket Club in the North West Tasmanian competition. Her best bowling figures in this competition for the 2008 - 2009 season in this competition as an opening bowler are three for seven off seven overs, and two for eleven off eight overs.

Allison is truly a bowler to be reckoned with. We are sure we will hear much more about her as she continues with her cricket career.

Junior Taverner 2008 - Damon Smith

Even at the tender age of sixteen, Damon Smith has had a wide range of experience including an international tour on his list of achievements to date. Damon is a right hand middle order batsman,(who has been known to open the innings), and a right arm off spinner.

He has played cricket in his local competition, playing A Grade for Burnie Yeoman Cricket club. Nationally, he competed in the Australian Under 15 carnival in early 2008 in Queensland. As a result of his performance at these championships, (he scored 185 runs at an average of 37 with two fifties and took five wickets at an average of 26 and an economy rate of 3.62), he was selected in the School Sport Australia Australian U15 team to tour the West Indies in November 2008. During this tour the team played mainly Under 17 teams form Trinidad, Tobago and Barbados. Tour highlights for Damon were 2/14 from 10 overs, and a mid twenties score when opening the innings.

He is also a member of the Tasmanian Under 17 and Under 19 squads. At the Under 17 National Championships, he played as a middle order batsman. His best score was in the low 40's.

Damon is a young man who is extremely passionate about his cricket and is constantly working hard to improve his skills and performance. He is supported in this by his family. We wish Damon well in his future cricket career and look forward to hearing of his continuing development and achievements.

Junior Taverner 2007 - Katelyn Fryett (female), Tom Triffit(Male)

Junior Taverner 2007 - Katelyn Fryett

The 2007 Lord’s Taverners Female Junior Taverner Award was presented to 15 year old Prospect high School student Katelyn Fryett at the Tasmanian Senior Female Squad training session at the NTCA Ground, Launceston.

Tom Triffit, junior Taverner 2007

Katelyn is a right arm opening bowler and RH bat who comes from a cricketing family with cousins who have represented Tasmania at different levels. She plays for Bracknell U16 boys team, and on occasions in the senior team.

Katelyn debuted for Tasmania at the 2006/07 Australian U19 Championships as a 14 year old (requiring special permission to allow her to play). She is one of Tasmania’s most exciting prospects, is the quickest U19 bowler in the State and one of the quickest at the National Championships who also represented Tasmania at the National Schoolgirls netball championships in 2007 and was named as a reserve in the National Team.

Junior Taverner 2007 - Tom Triffit

Sixteen year old Launceston Grammar School student Tom Triffit is the male Junior Taverner for 2007. Tom was presented with his award at his school assembly at the start of the cricket season. He is a gifted wicket-keeper/batsman plays for Launceston Cricket Club and represented Tasmania at the National U17 Championships in 2006/07, with 276 runs @ 39.43 and one century (125 HS). He was a member of the Tasmanian U19 squad for 2007/08.

Junior Taverner 2006 - Linsey DaCosta (female), Matthew Wade (Male)

Junior Taverner 2006 - Linsey DaCosta

Junior Taverner 2006 - Matthew Wade

Another two outstanding young Tasmanian cricketers were given a boost with their cricket futures as they received a $1,000 scholarship and full cricket kit from donated by Kookaburra Sports, at the Ron Barassi debate.

Pictured above are 18 year old RH medium pace bowler and opening bat, Linsey DaCosta and 18 year old LH bat and wicketkeeper, Matthew Wade.

Linsey, now the Tasmanian U19 girls team, has represented Tasmania at the U19 championships since she was a 14 year old. Due to strong performances at the 2005/06 Australian championships Linsey was named in the team of the championships.

Matthew is a talented sportsman who excels in both football and cricket has also captained the Tasmanian U19 team and toured Sri Lanka with the Australian U19 team in 2006.

Junior Taverner 2005 - Anita Silva (female), Jonathan Wells (Male)

Junior Taverners 2005 - Anita Silva and Jonathan Wells with David Boon

For the second consecutive year, awards comprising a cash sponsorship and commemorative plaque were made to a young male and female player.

Anita Silva, a 16 year old left arm medium pace bowler and right hand bat represented Tasmania in her first national Championships in Sydney in January 2005. Playing in all six matches, Anita was the equal highest wicket taker at the championships, taking 9 wickets at 18.33 with best figures of 3 for 15. Anita has a twin sister who was also in the Tasmanian U19 team and she very generously has decided to share the cheque with her sister.

Sixteen old Jonathan Wells, a right hand batsman and right arm medium pace bowler, had a sensational 2004/05 that has culminated in this award. Selected in both the Tasmanian U17 and U19 teams, Jonathan was Tasmanian Player of the U17 championships as well as Australian player of the championships, gained selection in the Australian team of the championships, and has been playing first grade for Clarence cricket Club.

Both these awards were presented to the winners at The TCA’s Player of The Year Awards Dinner by Tasmanian President David Boon.

Boonie spoke about the history of the award since its introduction, and gave the 400 plus crowd details of the winners. Compere Ian Cover also gave us a nice little “promo”.

This function is the most prestigious on the Tasmanian Cricket calendar and was even more special this year as a tribute to The Tassie’s successful ING Cup Champions that featured a nostalgic look back to Tassie’s 1979 triumph in the Gillette Cup. Skipper of that team Jack Simmons was a special guest. (No prizes for guessing that Michael Bevan took out all awards for ING and Pura Cup Player of the Year, and overall Player of The Year)

Junior Taverner 2004 - Kristen Beams (female), Alex Doolan (Male)

For the first time there were dual winners of Tasmania Branch’s Junior Taverner Award in 2004.

One of the recipients is a young woman who is seen as a future star in the game at a time when women’s cricket is undergoing a resurgence under the wing of the Tasmanian Cricket Association. She is Kristen Beams from Launceston’s Westbury Shamrocks Cricket Club. A right hand bat and right arm legspin bowler, Kristen is the Tasmanian Under19 Girls captain and Westbury Third Grade captain in the mens competition.

The other awardee is Alex Doolan from the Launceston Cricket Club and son of former Tasmanian first class player, Bruce. Alex is a righthand batsman, a State Under 19 representative, Tasmanian second division player, Cricket Australia Cup player and has two centuries in first grade to his credit this season.

Junior Taverner 2003 – Gordon Kerr

Seventeen year old allrounder, Gordon Kerr is the 2003 Tasmanian Junior Taverner. A right arm medium pace bowler and right hand batsman, Gordon plays for the University Club in Hobart. This season he represented Tasmania in both the Under 17 and Under 19 National Competitions and has been admitted to the Australian Under 17 Development squad.

Past Junior Taverners – How did they go and where are they now?

Since Ricky Ponting won the inaugural award in 1992, four winners have gained first class selection for Tasmania in both Pura Cup (and Sheffield shield) and ING Cup teams. These four are Ponting, Shannon Tubb, Sean Clingleffer and Xavier Doherty.

All others are currently playing first grade cricket in Hobart, two of whom featured in the top ten batting averages in the Tasmanian cricket association (southern region based in Hobart) for season 2004/05.

Dane Anderson (2002 winner), on the verge of first class selection, scored 957 runs at an average of 59.81 with two centuries, whilst Tim Paine (2001) made 468 runs at an average of 36.

And the two most recent winners, Gordon Kerr (2003) and Alex Doolan (2004), represented Tassie at the Australian U19 carnival in Melbourne over December and January (thus providing three Junior Taverners in the team). Gordon took 10 wickets and made a top score of 40 whilst Alex, as vice-captain, had a top score of 88 (run-out, “yes, no, sorry!!) and took 7 catches. Alex is off to play Hampshire League cricket this English summer.

And the first female winner, in 2004, Kristen Beams was absolutely sensational at the recent Australian U19 championships with 197 runs from 6 innings with four not-outs (averaging a Bradman-esque 98.50), 7 wickets from 42 overs at an average of 16.28 and best bowling of 4-16 as well as taking seven catches.