Cricket on the Island was celebrated earlier this month as players, coaches, volunteers and families gathered at Newclose County Cricket Ground for the Isle of Wight Cricket Board’s Awards Night 2025.
The event recognised everything from junior development and coaching excellence, to grassroots innovation and lifelong dedication, with a special focus on the people working behind the scenes to grow the game across the Island.
The night was billed as a chance to look back, and say thank you to the hundreds of volunteers, families, and players who make cricket happen week in, week out.
From the Super 9s squad to indoor league winners, school partnerships, and inclusive cricket formats, the awards reflected the diverse and growing success of the game on the Island.
- Top community & volunteer award winners included:
- Unsung Hero Award – Harry Poynter, for tireless work behind the scenes
- Volunteer Grounds Team Award – Newport CC Grounds Team
- Growing the Game Award – The 175 Committee at Ventnor CC
- Inspired to Play Award – Jerin Padavath, for opening the game up to new audiences
- Coach of the Year – Graham Gosden
- Young Coach of the Year – Georgie Gobby
- Lifetime Achiever Award – Ron Cook
- Will Luckett Award (Contributions Off the Field) – Ruth Noyes
- Connecting Communities Award – Community Action IW & The Bay Youth Project
Notable player highlights:
- Lara Crouch (Newport) led the wicket-taking with 9 wickets at 5.56
- Steve Egerton-Read (Shanklin & Godshill) was Division 2’s top run-scorer with 568 runs at 94.67
- Marc Allen (St Helens) led Division 1 with 424 runs at 84.80
- Simon Goldsmith (Northwood) was the leading Division 1 wicket-taker with 16 wickets at 9.56
Alex Barton, of the Isle of Wight Cricket Board, says:
“It was an excellent evening to celebrate both the performances of talented cricketers across the Island and the incredible volunteers who make everything possible.
“We had a fantastic turnout, with over 200 people coming together from across the cricket community to celebrate the 2025 season — a real reflection of how strong and connected cricket is on the Isle of Wight.”
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