AT THE start of the night a relaxed Brenton Caldwell was enjoying a few beers with no expectations — by the end of it he was standing up to accept a best and fairest award.
It was the main award of the Swan Hill District Cricket Association’s (SHDCA) annual presentation night, but the A grade best and fairest had been far from predictable with twists and turns throughout Greg Cruickshank’s count at the Swan Hill Club.
In a barnstorming finish, RSL’s Caldwell polled 26 of his 57 votes after round 10 to overtake St Mary’s Tyntynder young gun Brent Daniels who registered the last of his 47 votes in round nine.
RSL captain Duane Bruton (44) rounded out the top three place-getters.
Caldwell told The Guardian he had gone to the annual presentation dinner with no expectations.
“I thought I’d maybe be up there a bit, but definitely not winning it,” he said.
“It’s funny because I don’t think it was my best year but it was my most consistent, which is important being an all-rounder.”
It’s funny because I don’t think it was my best year but it was my most consistent, which is important being an all-rounder
Training and a good team atmosphere also help get the best out of RSL’s stable of stars, Caldwell said. He admitted the end to RSL’s campaign — eliminated by Swan Hill in the first semi-final after being on top of the ladder virtually all season — had been disappointing.
“It definitely was, but like I said the best two teams are there in the grand final,” he said.
