Cricketer of Year bound for Northern Ireland

Celtic allrounder Luke Holdaway was named the 2025-26 Cricketer of the Year at the MCA's senior prizegiving in late March.

Luke enjoyed success across three competitions, proving a reliable allrounder at both club and rep level, while he also shone for the Central Districts under-19 team at the national tournament, claiming a five-wicket bag in one of the matches.

He played what he described as his best rep innings so far [71 not out] in the Marlborough team’s final outing, a Newman Shield victory over the old foe, Nelson.

“I managed to put on a decent partnership [181] with Rex [McCaa] which helped bring the Shield back home, so that was the highlight of my year, 100 percent.”

Now the 18-year-old, who left MBC last year, turns his attention to the northern hemisphere.

He has picked up a playing contract with Northern Irish club Ballymena, situated 40km north of Belfast.

The initial contact came about through Marlborough Cricket manager James Bell, who put Luke onto an agent late last year.

He has always wanted to play cricket overseas and he says “it was a perfect fit”.

“I had a couple of phone calls with the chairman, along with some emails, and it all came together. Ballymena, who play in the Northern Cricket Union, were relegated to section two and are in a rebuilding phase and quite a young team.

“I get flights accommodation and they will sort me out with some work,” he adds.

“It will be a different experience … they see me as an allrounder so hopefully I can improve my skills along the way, plus get a chance to play on different wickets.”

He will return to NZ at the end of his Irish season, keen to make the CD U-19 side again and one day achieve his long-term aim of playing first class cricket.

Although he is handy with both bat and ball, Luke says scoring runs is his prime motivation, something he is keen to provide for his new employers.

He leaves on April 21 with the Irish season running from early May until early September.

Prizegiving

Dominating proceedings at the prizegiving evening was the Celtic club, who claimed the senior T20 and senior 40-over titles, as well as the prize for the highest winning percentage across all their teams.

Adding to this haul were individual accolades, Luke named both Marlborough under-21 and overall cricketer of the year, plus being voted the senior rep players player of the year. Liam Young was awarded the MCA Umpires Trophy.

The senior batting cup went to Wairau’s Andrew McCaa, with 419 club runs, while the senior bowling trophy was claimed by Wairau Valley’s Sam Boyce, with 25 wickets at 9.64 runs per wicket.

On the senior men’s rep scene Luke topped the batting stakes, scoring 293 runs at an average of 48.83, while Griffin Carter led the bowling stats with 14 wickets at 22.21.

The under-15 player of the year was Fionn Heagney while Dane Winstanley was named under-17 player of the year.

The women’s cricketer of the year was Eden Pettigrew who led the rep team’s stats in bowling, alongside Fenella Cooney, batting (116 runs) and fielding.

The most promising under-15 female cricketer was Alice Brown while Fenella was voted the most promising under-17 player.

Club finals

Celtic made short work of the senior 40-over final on March 21, beating Wairau by 83 runs at Horton Park.

Batting first Celtic, anchored by a superb 60 from 79 balls from James Croker, reached 212-9 when the final over of their innings was completed. Jaden Adams, 30, Tom Sloan, 28, Luke Holdaway, 26, and Logan Robinson, 28, were the other main contributors. Tarin Mason’s 3-49 was the pick of the Wairau attack.

Wairau never really threatened in reply, Mason top-scoring with 25 from 31 as they were bowled out for 129 in the 31^st over. Jaden claimed 3-16 while Luke and Liam Young both bagged a brace.

Meanwhile the third grade final was won by Wairau Valley, who prevailed over Wairau in a much tighter contest. Valley won by one wicket, chasing down Wairau’s 153 in 36 overs.

Anchoring their innings was Ed Gilhooly, with an unbeaten 44 from 65 balls, while Valley bowler Flynn Preece’s 4-20 ensured Wairau were unable to set a formidable target.

Wairau bowler Harry McKendry took 4-18 to keep his side in the match but it was certainly Valley’s day, ending proceedings at 156-9.