SA cricket heroes honoured

Johannesburg -

AB de Villiers became the eighth player to be named South Africa's Cricketer of the Year when he received the award for 2014 at a Cricket South Africa (CSA) banquet in Sandton on Wednesday night.

“AB's statistics are sheer class and speak for themselves,” CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat said.

“He is the world's best batsman, ranked number one in Test match cricket and number two in ODI cricket.

“His highest rating of 935 points in Test cricket is the joint 10th highest of all time alongside Jacques Kallis and Matthew Hayden.”

The previous winners of CSA's most prestigious award at international level were Jacques Kallis (2004 and 2011), Makhaya Ntini (2005 and 2006), Shaun Pollock (2007), Dale Steyn (2008), Graeme Smith (2009), Hashim Amla (2010 and 2013) and Vernon Philander (2012).

It was a special evening for AB de Villiers, who won four awards in total.

The only award for which he was nominated but did not win was the ODI Player of the Year.

It went to Quinton de Kock, who scored four centuries in the period under review, including three in consecutive innings.

De Villiers was also named Test Cricketer of the Year, was recognised by his peers as SA Players' Player of the Year and, by popular vote of the public, SA Fans' Cricketer of the Year.

Imran Tahir was named T20 International Player of the Year, Steyn bowled the T20 delivery of the year and Kallis won the “So Good” award for his century in his final Test match appearance against India.

Marizanne Kapp was named Women's Cricketer of the Year for the second successive year.

In the domestic professional category, the Dolphins almost swept the board.

Lance Klusener was named Coach of the Year, David Miller the T20 player and Kyle Abbott both the domestic players' player, for the second year in a row, and Most Valuable Player.

In addition, the Dolphins won the Fair Play Award and Wilson Ngobese, head grounds curator at Kingsmead, was named Groundsman of the Year.

Justin Ontong of the Cape Cobras was named domestic Cricketer of the Season and Heino Kuhn of the One-Day Cup Cricketer of the Season.

The Khaya Majola Lifetime Achievement Award went to Abe Williams for his services to the game over nearly 50 years.

He represented Griquas as a player for more than two decades and also played for the SA Coloured Cricket Association against the SA African Cricket Board.

He was involved in every aspect of cricket as player, administrator, umpire, groundsman and as coach in which capacity he laid the foundation for the current Griquas coaching programmes. He is still an active umpire at club level. - Sapa

AWARD WINNERS

NATIONAL

SA Cricketer of the Year: AB de Villiers

Test Cricketer of the Year: AB de Villiers

ODI Cricketer of the Year: Quinton de Kock

T20 International Cricketer of the Year: Imran Tahir

SA Players' Player of the Year: AB de Villiers

SA Fans' Player of the Year: AB de Villiers

“So Good” Award: Jacques Kallis (century vs India in his final Test at Kingsmead)

T20 Delivery of the Year: Dale Steyn (bowled Brad Haddin, second Test match against Australia at St George's)

Women's Cricketer of the Year: Marizanne Kapp

DOMESTIC