Brilliant batsman Goodwin is Player of the Year; LOCAL CRICKET.

Byline: MIKE TALBOT-BUTLER

RECORD-breaking Chester Boughton Hall batsman Warren Goodwin has been named Chapel Press Cheshire County League ECB Premiership Player of the Year.

Goodwin, whose tally was 1,129 runs - plus 355 helping Cheshire win the Minor Counties Western group title - received his award at the league's Presentation dinner at Mere Golf & Country Club.

Second in the voting poll was Neston skipper Jack Smith, who also broke his club's batting record with an even higher tally of 1,148 runs.

First Division Player of the Year was Christleton's Sri Lankan born Iroshan de Silva, the league's highest scoring batsman with 1,162 runs, while the Second Division poll winner was another 1,000 runs batsman Dominic Michael (Marple).

Oxton's 17 year-old allrounder Ross Dixon received the Young Player of the Year award having had an outstanding season for his club, Cheshire Development XI and Cheshire under 17.

Neston won the highlyprized Henderson Rose Bowl as Most Improved Club at all levels of the game on and off the field and were praised for their magnificent new pavilion.

Neston also topped the umpires' voting to win the Fair Play table with a record average marking of 3.70 out of a possible four.

Winner of the sponsors' Performance of the Month award for August & September was Toft fast bowler Rupert Kitzinger, who took 8-19 against Didsbury including a first-over hat-trick. A special presentation was to the league's founder-officers Wyn and Mike Talbot-Butler, who had been awarded ICC Centenary medals by the ECB at Derby five days earlier to mark their combined 70 years' service to Cheshire cricket.

Christleton topped the League Pitch table for the second successive season with 4.64 out of a maximum five.