Hodge, Elliott named as major Victorian award winners

Brad Hodge and Matthew Elliott's recent domination of Victorian cricket was formally recognised tonight when the pair took away the major prizes from the state's Gala Awards night at the Crown Casino in Melbourne.

Hodge, 27, was named Victoria's Pura Cup Player of the Season at the end of another summer in which he easily prevailed as the state's leading first-class run scorer. The talented right hander's victory gave him back-to-back titles in the award and also complemented his status as dual winner of the national 2001-02 Pura Cup Player of the Series trophy alongside Queensland's Jimmy Maher.

Hodge scored 858 runs at the average of 57.20 in his 10 appearances at Pura Cup level for Victoria this season.

Elliott, 30, who captained the state in the majority of its games this season, was meanwhile honoured as the Bushrangers' best one-day player for 2001-02. The left handed opener struck 431 runs at an average of 47.88 from his ten limited-overs matches and was again a tower of strength at the top of the order.

The two batsmen have been Victoria's standout players of recent years, combining to form the backbone of the state team's upper order. In limited-overs matches alone, they have been responsible for scoring close to a whopping 40 per cent of the Bushrangers' runs in their appearances together during the last two seasons.

While their productivity and experience helped them to land the two major gongs, all-rounder Andrew McDonald was recognised as the state's most talented emerging player when named as the winner of the Robert Rose Scholarship.

Among the night's other highlights was a special tribute to outgoing Victorian captain Paul Reiffel. Flanked by wife Janet and parents Ron and Maureen, the former state and national pace bowler was honoured for his distinguished 15-year career at the sport's elite level.

Another long-time servant of Victorian cricket, Warren Ayres, also made it a night to remember when he joined an exclusive band of players to have won the Ryder Medal on at least two occasions. The 36-year-old batsman, who amassed 924 runs for Melbourne at an average of 54.35 this season, polled 34 votes to be crowned a clear winner of the award ahead of Carlton's David Sokulsky. Ayres previously claimed the Medal - the prize awarded each season to the best and fairest player in Victorian first grade cricket - in 1994-95.

The awards night formally set the seal on a disappointing 2001-02 summer for Victoria, at the end of which it finished in fifth place in each of the two domestic competitions. The Bushrangers also won less competition points in total over the course of the season than any of their five rival states.