<\/p>\n
Tom Norton County groundstaff Ethan Bamber<\/strong> Somerset<\/strong>
<\/strong>Not many people take a hat-trick on their Championship debut. Even fewer when they\u2019re a teenager. But in early May, 18-year-old Norton roared in like the north wind against Somerset<\/a> and wrecked their top order. His delighted teammates chased him around Sophia Gardens, patting his impressive beard. By August, he\u2019d been ruled out of the rest of the season with a stress fracture of the back. But, even without him, Glamorgan survived their first year back in the top tier, and batters will be nervously waiting in 2027. He made quite the first impression.<\/p>\nThe knotted-hanky award for perseverance<\/h2>\n
<\/strong>As heatwave followed heatwave, and the rest of us skulked in the shadows, there was no rest for the county groundstaff<\/a>. With temperatures in the middle hitting the mid-30s day after day, they found themselves doing split shifts and working late into the evenings when the sun had gone down, in order to prepare more pitches, for more games. The corresponding lack of rainfall added to the difficulties, and trying to maintain moisture without scorching the square became the equivalent of squaring the circle. Time for a cup of tea and a welcome pair of thermal socks.<\/p>\nThe nice guys don\u2019t finish last award<\/h2>\n
The Championship\u2019s leading wicket-taker (with 69 of the things) mingled on the outfield at Edgbaston last Saturday after Warwickshire were awarded the winner\u2019s trophy<\/a>. Bamber had already been called the nicest man in cricket by his captain, Ed Barnard, and the hardest working by Sam Hain, before he auditioned for the most modest<\/a> when talking to reporters (while signing a supporter\u2019s miniature bat.) \u201cYou always wonder, as an average cricketer like me, how high your ceiling is, and in quiet moments I wasn\u2019t sure I quite had it,\u201d he said as he was passed a plastic cup of champagne and a man in a Scooby Doo costume sidled alongside. \u201cHere I\u2019ve been given the opportunity and space to express myself on the field. I feel like I have been the beneficiary of a really good group.\u201d Bear hugs all round.<\/p>\nThe what becomes of the broken-hearted award<\/h2>\n
Seven times the bridesmaid this century, never in 136 years the bride. Tom Abell\u2019s triple hundred<\/a> on the final day of the season softened the blow a little for the Somerset faithful, but there was a sad taste at the bottom of the cider glass. Somerset had led the Championship<\/a> into the penultimate match of the season and all over the south-west people were booking four days off work to head to the County Ground. This year Craig Overton was immense with bat and ball, but they still stumbled. Here\u2019s to next year (and the one after).<\/p>\n