ISLAND and Sporting Club Franูais skipper Mathew Hague is the NatWest Cricketer of the Year for the fourth time in five years.

The JEP Young Cricketer of the Year award went to Tom Minty, a bowling all-rounder who helped Old Victorians to their first Weekend League Premiership title for a decade.

Hague – who has now won the title five times in seven years since his arrival in the Island from Australia – enjoyed another prolific season with the bat scoring a total of 1,168 runs.

After receiving his award from former England Test bowler Gladstone Small at the NatWest awards dinner at the Grand hotel last night, Hague said: ‘I’m loving my cricket at the moment and there is a real buzz looking ahead to the ICC next year.

‘There will be a couple of tournaments playing against unfamiliar teams with top class cricketers and not just the one game against Guernsey.

‘It is nice to win the award but you don’t set out at the start of the season trying to get it.

You hope for team success.

It was a little disappointing not to win with Sporting Club but Old Victorians fully deserved the title.

But we will be trying to win it back next year.’ Hague scored 816 runs at the Weekend including four centuries against Springfield, Caesareans, St Ouen and Wanderers for an average of 68.

He was also successful with the ball taking 23 wickets (average 14.13) at the Weekend.

In the Evening he scored 352 runs (average 70).

Old Victorian Minty made his debut for the full Island team against Guernsey in the inter-insular defeat.

Minty took 28 wickets at the Weekend at an average of 16 and a further eight in the Evening for Air Conditioning Jersey.

His batting was more than useful as he scored 248 runs at the Weekend and 236 runs in the Evening.

He is also an excellent fielder.

Minty said: ‘I am very proud to win this award.

I have been working quite hard on my game and taking cricket seriously this season.

It is just a bit disappointing that Old Victorians couldn’t go on and win the CI Championship.’ He added that his game had been able to flourish in the strong NatWest Weekend Premier League winning Old Victorians side.

‘The most important thing is the team performance.

It is great to have people to look up to and get guidance from the likes of Ward Jenner and Chris Jones.’ Hague was chosen from a shortlist of five, which also included Minty.

Other notable performers this season included Mark Saralis (Romerils and Air Conditioning Jersey), Tony Carlyon (Caesareans and SCF) and Ian Crocker (Romerils and Air Conditioning Jersey).