The annual SACA Community Cricket Awards took place on Monday, 10th March at the iconic Adelaide Oval, with 157 attendees gathered to celebrate the 2024/25 season. This year's event was a resounding success, bringing together the community in a spirit of camaraderie and recognition.
Ashley Nicholas from Virgina Cricket Club was named SACA’s Volunteer of the Year. Ashley has been recognised for his outstanding dedication to community cricket. His contributions are significant, especially in junior coaching and administrative roles at both club and association levels. He manages all grades of cricket at Virginia, serves as a junior coach, club secretary, and treasurer, and sits on the Para Districts Executive Committee as Junior Vice President. Under his leadership, Virginia Cricket Club has grown from 2 teams (30 members) in 2018/19 to 13 teams (175 members) in 2024/25, including the successful introduction of women's cricket. His commitment, leadership, and versatility have made a remarkable impact on the club's development and success.
Coromandel Valley Ramblers Cricket Club have been crowned the Community Cricket Club of the Year for the way their club exemplifies community spirit, combining innovative practices, inclusive values, and sustainable growth. Key initiatives the club have delivered include: Junior Development: Reducing fees through the Government Sport Voucher ensures every child can play cricket without financial barriers, Community Connection: The Sponsorship Loyalty Program generated over $830,000 in three years, supporting the local economy, Mental Health Advocacy: The Ashley Bryant Memorial T20 Match and the Ramblers Support Platform promote mental health awareness and Inclusivity and Growth: Engaging women, girls, and over-50s with programs such as Walking Cricket and female-focused pathways.
Adelaide Nepalese Cricket Association (ANCA) have been named Association of the Year. Key initiatives ANCA run on their busy calendar include annual blood donations, support for the McGrath Foundation with "Pink Stumps Day," and cricket clinics for people with disabilities. ANCA provides a platform for international students, integrating them into the community and linking them with job opportunities. ANCA proudly boasts teams in women’s men’s and junior competitions and has grown to now include eight Nepalese cricket clubs, fostering community engagement and sports development.
The Young Leader of the Year Award was awarded to Chloe Mackenzie. Chloe established the first South-East junior girls cricket group to provide young girls with the chance to play and train together, addressing the lack of opportunities for U14 girls who previously played in mixed-gender competitions. She volunteers her time, travels for sessions, and ensures inclusivity and accessibility by using various grounds. Chloe keeps families informed via email newsletters and social media. Her dedication has created a strong, inclusive community for junior girls' cricket, and she plans to expand her programs further.
Harpers Field at Golden Grove Cricket Club has won this season’s Community Facility Project of the Year Awards. The $14.3 million Harpers Field Redevelopment has created a top-notch sports hub in Adelaide. It features a 300-square-metre clubroom, unisex changerooms, umpire rooms, scorers' box, grandstand, gym, meeting room, and more. A new pitch supports the growing Golden Grove Cricket Club. Club members and the Tea Tree Gully Council collaborated on the redesign, increasing female participation and creating a welcoming environment.
SACA genuinely thanks and congratulates everyone in the South Australian cricket community. Without you, our beloved sport wouldn't be as successful as it has been. SACA believes cricket can bring positive change to communities, and the amazing people involved in South Australian cricket show this every day.
This year, we had a total of 44 outstanding finalists across our 14 award categories, along with 41 dedicated volunteers who accepted awards for 10, 25 and 50 years of service to the game.
Congratulations to all the winners and finalists:
Volunteer of the Year
WINNER:
Ashley Nicholas – Virginia Cricket Club
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Brad Wilson & Troy Scott – Mallala Cricket Club, Barossa & Light Cricket Association
John O’Halloran – Central Whyalla Cricket Club, Whyalla Cricket Association
Matthew Bedgegood – Enfield United Cricket Club
Stuart Swan – Tanunda Cricket Club, Barossa & Light Cricket Association
Community Club of the Year
WINNER:
Coromandel Valley Ramblers Cricket Club
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Lyndoch Cricket Club
Virginia Cricket Club
Association of the Year
WINNER:
Adelaide Nepalese Cricket Association
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Hills Cricket Association
Community Coach of the Year
WINNER:
Jarrod Steinborner – Lyndoch Cricket Club
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Braam Lowies – Sheidow Park Cricket Club
Justin Nicol – Virginia Cricket Club
Young Leader of the Year
WINNER:
Chloe McKenzie – South East Zone
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Harrison Burgess – Wistow Cricket Club
Nicholas Harris – Gepps Cross Cricket Club
Community Partnership of the Year
WINNER:
The Barossa Council & The Barossa & Light Cricket Association
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Woodville South Cricket Club & Kilkenny Primary School
Women & Girls Initiative of the Year
WINNER:
Nairne Cricket Club & Hahndorf Cricket Club
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Adelaide Nepalese Cricket Association
Brighton Cricket Club
Celebrating Cricket in Schools
WINNER:
Centre for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Daniel Gehling – Ardtornish Primary School
David Peterson – Torrensville Primary School
Technology & Media Initiative of the Year
WINNER:
Para Hills Cricket Club
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Murraylands Football Netball (MFLTV)
Phantoms Cricket Club
Community Match Official of the Year
WINNER:
Robran Cock
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Michael Bohmer
Graham Wylie
Nick Hellowell
Inclusion & Diversity Initiative of the Year
WINNER:
Wiltja Boarding
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
ATCO Cricket Club
Blind Cricket SA
The Rural City of Murry Bridge & Imperials Cricket Club
Community Cricket Facility Project of the Year
WINNER:
Harpers Field – Golden Grove Cricket Club
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Greenock Cricket Club
Glenelg Oval
Cricket Blast Coordinator of the Year
WINNER:
Ben Johnson – North Sportsman Cricket Club
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Wayne Gilgen – Imperials Cricket Club
Zachary Butler – Hope Valley Cricket Club
Junior Cricket Initiative of the Year
WINNER:
Port Augusta Little Bash Leage
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Coromandel Valley Ramblers Cricket Club
One Tree Hill Cricket Club
10 Years Service Awards recipients
- Acey Gaerth – Adelaide Cricket Club
- Alex Mathewson – Glenunga Cricket Club
- Bijaya Joshi – Adelaide Nepalese Cricket Association
- Jarrod Steinborner – Lyndoch Cricket Club
- Jenny Bullimore – Glenelg District Cricket Club
- Jess O'Reilly – Adelaide Cricket Club
- Kylie Rattray – Adelaide Cricket Club
- Liam Coulter – Torrens Valley Cricket Association
- Marty Edmunds – West Torrens District Cricket Club
- Matthew Kennedy – Echunga Cricket Club
- Matthew Nobes – Adelaide Cricket Club
- Mitch Asser – Lyndoch Cricket Club
- Rebecca Harris – Echunga Cricket Club
- Rick Hutchins – Adelaide Cricket Club
- Shaun Goulding – Lyndoch Cricket Club
- Wade Farrell – Adelaide Cricket Club
- William Aylett - Lyndoch Cricket Club
25 Years Service Awards recipients
- Ben Williams – Lyndoch Cricket Club
- Brad Caust – Echunga Cricket Club
- Darren Williams – Adelaide Cricket Club
- David Aylward – South Australian Cricket Umpires & Scorers Association
- Jason Carroll – Port Noarlunga Cricket Club
- Karin Stone – Adelaide Cricket Club
- Kristian Antoney – Lyndoch Cricket Club
- Lesley Quaini – South Australian Cricket Umpires & Scorers Association
- Mathew Robinson – Lyndoch Cricket Club
- Sandro Dametto – Echunga Cricket Club
- Shane Maraun – Adelaide Cricket Club
- Shane Roberts – South Australian Cricket Umpires & Scorers Association
- Trent Burge – Lyndoch Cricket Club
- Wayne Hutchinson – Adelaide Cricket Club
50 Years Service Awards recipients
- Bill Marshall – South Australian Cricket Umpires & Scorers Association
- Daryl Harper – South Australian Cricket Umpires & Scorers Association
- Ian Barnes – Brighton Cricket Club
- John Tregloan – East Torrens District Cricket Club
- Kevin Coulter – Torrens Valley Cricket Association
- Peter Smith – Prospect District Cricket Club
- Richard Shanahan – South Australian Cricket Umpires & Scorers Association
- Roger Wills – Cricket Lovers SA
- Terry Murch – South Australian Cricket Umpires & Scorers Association
- Trevor Mead – South Australian Cricket Umpires & Scorers Association
2024 Premier’s Certificate of Recognition of Outstanding Volunteer Service
- Amy Roe – Blind Cricket SA
- Ben Hull – Echunga Cricket Club
- Jeremy Glaros – Glenunga Cricket Club
- Rhiannon Fenwick – Central United Cricket Club