TORONTO Workers District Cricket Club have presented all-rounder Joe Price with a fitting farewell gift – his sixth Player of the Year trophy.
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Price is leaving the Kookaburras to play with Wests from next season.
His departure ends a nine-year stint with the Toronto club that is unlikely to be matched.
Speaking at the cricket club’s presentation night on Saturday, president Aaron Gray said Toronto was disappointed to be losing one of the most dominant players in Newcastle district cricket, but they wished him well.
Gray said Price would continue to have many friends at Toronto who would continue to follow and support his achievements.
Reflecting on Price’s arrival at Toronto, Gray said the club initially didn’t fully appreciate what skills and impact Price would bring.
“Joe arrived to Toronto Workers District Cricket as a very talented 23-year-old in season 2007/08,” Gray said.
“After time spent in both the Sydney (where he claimed a first grade hat-trick) and Adelaide competitions we knew we were getting a talented and capable cricketer. What followed was nine seasons of consistent and dominating cricket.”
Price’s impact with the ball, in particular, exceeded Toronto’s expectations.
“Joe scored a double century in the season before joining us, which confirmed we were getting a talented batsmen,” Gray said.
“What we did not expect is that Joe would completely dominate the bowling ranks and sit atop the district bowling statistics year on year.”
Price took on Toronto’s first grade captaincy in 2011/12.
He would lead the team through four seasons and what Gray described as “a rebuilding phase for the club”.
“Joe’s presence at this time was single-handedly responsible for giving our first grade team any credibility and kept us somewhat competitive in the competition,” he said.
“The club is forever grateful for his loyalty through this time.”
Price first gained selection in the Newcastle representative team to contest the NSW Country Championships final in 2013.
“He batted at No.7 and smashed an unbeaten 78 to secure the country title after a wobbly start by Newcastle,” Gray said.
It was a match-winning innings which moved his name to the top of the Newcastle selectors’ little black books. The following year Price was given a full-time role in the Newcastle team, and went on to be named the district’s Representative Player of the Year.
Price earned selection in the NSW Country squad last season.
Gray said the club accepts that Price’s decision to play for Wests was “the best for Joe and his family”.
His legacy will take some beating.
- Price’s 122 first grade games makes him the 10th most capped first grader in the club’s history;
- his 283 wickets moves him to third on the club’s all-time list of top grade wicket takers (behind former Test leg-spinner Robert Holland’s 799 scalps, and Garry Pinches’s 287);
- his 3208 runs makes him the sixth highest run scorer in the club’s history; and
- he won the Player of the Year trophy six times.
Last season, Price scored 439 runs at an average of 33.8, claimed 42 wickets at an average of 13.9, and took seven catches for the Kookaburras.
It remains to be seen how Toronto will cope with the loss of their go-to player.
Price’s preparedness to bat with freedom, and play expansive and often aerial strokes when matches were in the balance swung many games in Toronto’s favour.
And his ability to regularly take wickets or tie up an end with his lively and accurate seamers has been a dependable ace in Toronto’s deck for nine seasons.
The fact the Kookaburras won the coveted club championship last season shows player depth at Toronto runs deep. But several players will have to take their performances to the next level if Toronto are to fill the void left by Price’s departure.
Former Australian and NSW left-armer Mike Whitney was special guest at the club’s formal dinner presentation at Toronto Workers Club.
Joe Hart was named under-21 Player of the Year. Hart scored 291 runs, took 36 wickets, and made 10 catches last season.
And the club’s head coach, David Somerville, was named Club Person of the Year.
“Apart from his official coaching duties, David lends a hand to any young aspiring player, holding private coaching, separate to his club coaching duties,” Gray said.
On Friday night, 16-year-old Alex Matthews was named the club’s Junior Player of the Year.
“Alex amassed 744 runs at an average of 32.3 across all forms of cricket,” Gray said.