Quartermaine and Ackland go to Towns with A-grade award hauls as club celebrates end of UGSCA season

Perrin Quartermaine, the backbone of the Towns’ A-grade side, was named the club’s cricketer of the year at its presentation night in Narrogin on March 27.

The batsman picked up 529 points after walloping 499 runs for the season with an average of 55.44, earning him the aggregate and average awards as well as the prestigious Aaron McAuliffe Medal for his overall performance across the campaign.

As well as having a super season in a team which came fifth of six in the Upper Great Southern Cricket Association competition, he represented the UGSCA side which reached the semifinals of A-section at country week, scoring 104 runs in four matches.

Mitch Ackland’s 24 wickets at 17.42 earned him the A-grade bowling double while he was also named the under-21 A-grade player of the year.

In a breakthrough season, his club form earned him his UGSCA debut at country week.

Quartermaine said the season had been tricky for both senior sides, but he was hopeful things would look up next year.

“It was a disappointing season in general with neither A- nor B-grade sides making finals, which is rare,” he said.

“We are already looking forward to next season when I’m sure we will be stronger.”

He was delighted to receive the cricketer of the year award, having been a long-time teammate of McAuliffe before the stalwart left the club.

“It was very special to win it having played with him for many years,” he said before paying tribute to Ackland’s excellent campaign.

In B-grade, Cody Heywood earned the Whitehorn Medal as player of the year with 480 points and was also named the best under-21 at that level.

He also took out both batting gongs, hitting 230 runs at an average of 23.00.

The best B-grade bowler was the team’s skipper Jack Warburton, who also grabbed a double, winning the bowling awards with 19 wickets at 16.32.

Ian Anderton was congratulated as the volunteer of the year.