By Charles Randall
3 October 2014
Scorers might be a theme of the NatWest outstanding services to cricket awards, the ECB's OSCAs, when the winners are announced at Lord's next Monday.
This very worthy event has reached its 12th year, and eight award winners are due to be announced in front of 400 invited guests, hosted by Jonathan Agnew, the BBC's cricket correspondent.
Among the lifetime achievers nominations is Ivor Chaplin, who passed 700 Middlesex County League games this summer scoring for Brentham. In the officiating section appear the names of the Welwyn Garden City scorer Anne Vine and the Berkshire Board scorer and Crown Wood CC legend Avril Acres.
Even Alice South, among the young volunteer nominations, started at Papplewick & linby as a scorer before her interest blossomed into significant fund-raising and other work in the Nottinghamshire club. No doubt many other club volunteers due to be honoured would have turned their hand to scoring at some time.
Hundreds of volunteers were nominated for the awards lunch by clubs, leagues and county cricket boards nationwide. The final short list was chosen by a panel of representatives from the ECB, British Gymnastics, vInspired and NatWest.
Acknowledging the nominees and the event Mike Gatting, one of the ECB’s leading officials, said: “The NatWest OSCAs provide the perfect opportunity to recognise the outstanding contribution volunteers make to our sport. The nominees all play an important role in ensuring grassroots cricket continues to flourish, and everyone at the ECB is looking forward to seeing these volunteers rewarded.”
NatWest OSCAs 2014 nominees
Behind the Scenes
Adrian Jeffrey- Hampset CC, Somerset
Ian Milne- Old Blandorians CC, Dorset
Steve Wales- North Leeds CC, Yorkshire
Building Partnerships
Tariq Ali- Wolverhampton CC, Staffordshire
Rob Reed- Corsham CC, Wiltshire
Paul Wood- Chippingdale CC, Sussex
Leagues and Boards
Stuart Munday- Tavistock CC, Devon
Sajid Patel- National Cricket League, Essex
Andy Watts- Beds County League, Bedfordshire
Lifetime Achievers
Ivor Chaplin- Brentham CC, Middlesex
Gerald Evans- Pontarddulais CC, Wales
Chris Johnson- Knebworth Park CC, Hertfordshire
Maurice Vaughan- Etwall CC, Derbyshire
NatWest CricketForce
Basingstoke & North Hants CC, Hampshire
Andy Glover- Portslade CC, Sussex
Steph Reingold- Stanmore CC, Middlesex
Officiating (umpires & scorers)
Avril Acres- Berkshire Officials, Berkshire
Keith Parsons- Irthlingborough Town CC, Northants
Anne Vine- Welwyn Gardens City CC, Hertfordshire
Young Volunteer
Ashley Goldsmith- Northwood CC, IOW
Jordan Hobbis- Cookhill CC, Worcestershire
Alice South- Papplewick & Linby CC, Nottinghamshire