Buckley Ridges captain-coach Will Butler receives his Wookey Medal from the man himself, Alan Wookey, at The Dandenong Club on Monday night.By Paul Pickering
SOUTH African all-rounder Will Butler capped a stunning Australian summer by winning the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Wookey Medal on Monday night.
The first-year Buckley Ridges captain-coach polled 31 votes in the best and fairest count at The Dandenong Club, to win by a single vote from fast-finishing Hallam-Kalora Park all-rounder Leigh Booth.
North Dandenong all-rounder Carman Mapatuna (24), Hallam-Kalora Park batsman Steve Chapman and Springvale South skipper Craig Slocombe rounded out the top five spots.
Butler scored 489 runs (at an average of 54.3) and snared 11 wickets (at 20) in the two-day format this season, leading a young Ridges outfit to within three points of a finals berth.
The 26-year-old said he was thrilled – and a little surprised – to win the league’s highest individual honour in his first Australian summer.
“I didn’t think I deserved it as much as the lad behind me, but I’ll certainly take it,” he reflected on the tight count.
Booth polled two votes for his 141 in a loss to Butler’s side in the final round, but Ridges all-rounder Paul Rudd pipped him for maximum votes with six wickets and 48 runs.
Butler, who played under-19 hockey for South Africa before moving to England at the age of 19, said he had relished the opportunity to nurture an improving side.
“I’ve been quite fortunate, because I’ve taken on a very young side and the team’s been so willing to learn,” he said.
Butler is no veteran himself, but he has already coached in the competitive Nottinghamshire Premier League.
He was recently granted dual citizenship in the United Kingdom and will head home to trial with three county clubs this month.
Butler says he was impressed with the standard of the DDCA’s Turf One competition, and he would not rule out a return visit at some stage.
The former North West province prodigy enjoyed ribbing his Aussie team-mates about South Africa’s dominance during the recent Test series, but he reckons his departure might be a timely one.
“I think I might be getting a bit back now,” he laughed, recalling Australia’s victory in Johannesburg this week.
“That’s why I’ve got to go home.”
Butler was Buckley Ridges’ second Wookey winner in three years, following Shane D’Rozario’s victory in 2006-07.
Buckley Ridges players polled 72 votes in this year’s count, to finish behind Springvale South (105), Hallam Kalora-Park (90), Doveton (88) and North Dandenong (77) in the team standings.
