Shaun Udal wins Top Sporting Award

Udal receives award

TOP Basingstoke-based bowler Shaun Udal is celebrating after winning The Gazette Sports Personality of the Year award for 2002.

On Friday night, the Hampshire cricketer followed in the footsteps of Caroline Jackson and Basingstoke Bison duo Wayne Crawford and Stephen Foster when he was presented with the top honour.

Udal received the glass trophy at the Apollo Hotel, which again hosted The Gazette Sports Awards. The 33-year-old spin bowler scooped the honour after topping our readers' poll.

The Gazette Sports Personality of the Year award was one of eight top honours presented at the event, which has become a successful annual fixture of the Basingstoke sporting calendar.

Popular Udal - who has featured in 10 one-day internationals for England - had a great season in 2002 for the county side. It saw him retain the Hampshire players' player award.

Speaking about Friday night's triumph, Udal said: "It was a great surprise to me. "Winning awards is always nice, but this is a very prestigious one. It means a lot to me as it is voted for by the readers of The Gazette."

Mark Jones, editor of Gazette Newspapers, paid tribute to the efforts of Basingstoke and Deane Local Sports Council members, who are the driving force behind the organisation of the event, and also thanked the many sponsors whose support is crucial to the success of the annual awards.

He said: "The Gazette is delighted to be the main sponsor of these prestigious sports awards. Sporting excellence is one of the many elements which make Basingstoke a great town and great borough and The Gazette Sports Awards recognise the outstanding contribution made by many people in the field of local sport."

The audience were treated to a splendid three-course meal by the Apollo Hotel as part of its major and important role as the host of the prestigious awards. The main guest of the evening was Manchester Commonwealth Games diving gold medallist Pete Waterfield.

He told the audience of top sportsmen and sportswomen to follow their dreams, as he had done, and showed people his gold medal to illustrate what heights can be reached.