National spin bowler Bernard Scholtz won Wanderers Cricket Club’s Sportsman of the Year award at their annual prizegiving function on Saturday.
Scholtz, who also won Wanderers Sports Club’s overall sportsman of the year award, helped Wanderers achieve unprecedented success as they won all four competitions that they competed in. They won the Premier League 50-over and T20 competitions, as well as the First Division 40-over and T20 competitions.
Besides his contributions for the club, Scholtz also excelled for the national cricket team, winning the Eagles T20 player of the year award, while he played professionally abroad, representing the Surrey Jaguars at the Global T20 Canada series.
Scholtz played eight matches for Wanderers over the 2022/23 season, taking 12 wickets for 149 runs.
He also represented the Namibian Eagles in 19 One Day International (ODI) matches, taking 25 wickets for 25 runs, while he took four wickets for 61 runs in three T20 internationals.
Scholtz played a crucial role in Namibia’s historic T20 World Cup victory against Sri Lanka in October last year, taking two wickets for 18 runs.
He is currently ranked 18th on the International Cricket Council’s ODI rankings with 589 wickets and 54th on the ICC T20 rankings with 484 wickets.
Scholtz’ brother and first team captain Nicolaas Scholtz won the Players’ Player of the Year award, while the other award winners were as follows:
Best batter premier league: Niko Davin (690 runs; average 57,50).
Best bowler premier league: Danie van Schoor (26 wickets; average 11,31).
Best all-rounder premier league: Nyasha Nyashadzaishe (299 runs, 19 wickets).
Best fielder premier league: Niko Davin.
Best batter first division: Wessel Myburgh (700 runs; 175,00 average).
Best bowler first division: Herschell van Schalkwyk (29 wickets; 5,86 average).
Best all-rounder first division: Waldo Smith (159 runs, 15 wickets).
Best fielder second division: Ewald Steenkamp.
Most ducks all leagues: Tiaan Louw.
Spray-gun award for the most wides: Dewald Nell.
Young and upcoming junior: Janco Jacobs.
Best junior schoolboy: Waldo Smith.
Most improved player: PD Blignaut.
Most dedicated player: Adriaan Engelbrecht.
Scorer of the year: Susca Loftie-Eaton.
Administrator of the year: Thalia Louw.