Tewatiya and Rule claim top honours at DDCC Senior Presentation Night

Palmerston’s Oliver Tewatiya and PINT’s Tegan Rule claimed the leading individual honours at the 2026 Darwin and Districts Cricket Competition Senior Presentation Night, winning the Ralph Wiese Medal and Women’s Cricketer of the Year respectively.

Their performances reflect the mix of local, interstate and overseas talent competing across the DDCC, where Darwin’s dry season offers players the opportunity to keep playing through Australia’s winter.

Tewatiya arrived at Palmerston with experience representing New Zealand Under-19s and Wellington A. A left-handed batter and left-arm spinner, he progressed through Wellington’s junior representative teams before spending 2025 with Kimberley in England’s Nottinghamshire Premier League. [Tewatiya’s playing background].

Tewatiya claimed the Ralph Wiese Medal in a count that went down to the final round, collecting maximum votes against PINT and Darwin in his last two matches to edge past Waratah’s Dylan Hunter, 16 votes to 13. Southern Districts’ Justin Galeotti finished third on 11, followed by PINT’s Prasanna Ketheeshwaran on 10.

Tegan Rule brought her own representative background to PINT, having played Premier Cricket for Ringwood and earned selection in Victoria Metro’s squad for the 2025–26 Under-19 Female National Championships. [Cricket Victoria squad announcement].

She scored 694 Women’s Division 1 runs at an average of 99.14 to claim the batting aggregate, establishing herself as a key contributor at the top of PINT’s order.

Rule also collected maximum votes in each of her final two matches, finishing with 26 votes to win Women’s Cricketer of the Year. Southern Districts’ Kelly Armstrong and Tracy Village’s Alana Horsfall were joint runners-up on 22, followed by Village’s Ekam Dhillon on 20.

The pair’s success highlights the opportunities available through Darwin’s winter cricket season. The DDCC gives visiting players valuable match time between their home summer competitions, while local cricketers have the opportunity to compete alongside and against talent from across Australia and overseas.

The evening also recognised the coaches, volunteers, curators and umpires whose contributions support the competition throughout the season.

PINT’s Zac O’Toole received the Margaret Coady Memorial Award, recognising outstanding service to the Darwin cricket community.

O’Toole has coached junior and women’s teams, served on the club’s committee for many years and regularly steps in wherever help is needed, including pulling on the whites when a lower-grade side is short.

The award honours Margaret Coady, a long-serving scorer in A Grade, junior and representative cricket who was awarded PINT Life Membership in 1994. Following her sudden passing in 1999, the award continues to recognise those who share her commitment to giving their time and supporting the game.

In the family’s tribute, Jack Coady summed up O’Toole’s contribution simply: “Nothing is too much trouble for him.”

Waratah’s Udara Weerasinghe was named Coach of the Year following a season of success across the club’s senior and junior programs.

As A Grade coach, Weerasinghe guided Waratah to the Premier T20 title and second place on the ladder. His oversight of the senior program also included an E Grade premiership and grand final appearances for the C Grade and Sunday 2 teams.

Weerasinghe contributed to a junior program that recorded its highest participation numbers, won the Under 16 Blue premiership and reached the Under 13 Blue grand final. His work also supported the progression of players including Junaid Mansoor, Harvey McCormick, Rithun Ramanan and Ty Jennings into senior cricket.

 

Club awards

Southern Districts claimed the Club Championship Award in a tightly contested finish, edging PINT by fewer than two points. Districts finished on 1425.11 points, ahead of PINT on 1423.113 and Tracy Village on 1397.04.

• Club Championship Award – Southern Districts.

 

The club awards recognised collective performance, sportsmanship and the preparation of playing facilities.

• Bob Vowles Curator Award – Adam Melbourne, Tracy Village.

• Spirit of Cricket Award – Tracy Village.

 

A Grade

Palmerston claimed the minor premiership, with individual honours shared between Palmerston and Southern Districts.

• Minor Premiers – Palmerston.

• Fielder of the Year – Alex Bleakley, Palmerston.

• Batting Aggregate – Justin Galeotti, Southern Districts, 661 runs at 47.21.

• Bowling Aggregate – Hamish Martin, Palmerston, 41 wickets at 16.88.

 

Women’s Division 1

Amy Yates joined PINT teammate Tegan Rule among the Division 1 aggregate winners, leading the bowling tally.

• Bowling Aggregate – Amy Yates, PINT, 17 wickets at 17.18.

 

B Grade

Palmerston secured both aggregate awards, while Southern Districts’ Anthony Scott topped the Cricketer of the Year count.

• Batting Aggregate – Dean McArthur, Palmerston, 401 runs at 30.85.

• Bowling Aggregate – Kai Snape, Palmerston, 37 wickets at 9.70.

• Cricketer of the Year – Anthony Scott, Southern Districts, 14 votes.

 

Premier T20

Nightcliff’s Moe Spencer led the run-scoring, while Waratah’s Dylan Hunter collected the bowling and Club Cricketer of the Year awards.

• Batting Aggregate – Moe Spencer, Nightcliff, 181 runs at 30.17.

• Bowling Aggregate – Dylan Hunter, Waratah, 12 wickets at 10.25.

• Club Cricketer of the Year – Dylan Hunter, Waratah, 112 runs, 12 wickets, four catches and one run-out.

 

Club T20

PINT secured all three individual awards in the Club T20 competition.

• Batting Aggregate – Mariyatharsha (Dinesh) Shanthakumar, PINT, 412 runs at 45.78.

• Bowling Aggregate – Billy O’Toole, PINT, 16 wickets at 11.81.

• Club Cricketer of the Year – Mariyatharsha (Dinesh) Shanthakumar, PINT, 412 runs, six wickets and eight catches.

 

Women’s Division 2

Darwin’s Chloe Kerber claimed two honours, while PINT’s Minnoli Darian took the bowling aggregate.

• Batting Aggregate – Chloe Kerber, Darwin, 275 runs at 91.67.

• Bowling Aggregate – Minnoli Darian, PINT, 17 wickets at 10.00.

• Club Cricketer of the Year – Chloe Kerber, Darwin, 275 runs, 10 wickets, seven catches and five run-outs.

 

C Grade

PINT’s Ratan Rawat and Boney Sebastian led the batting and bowling aggregates, with Palmerston’s Keiran Toner recognised for his all-round season.

• Batting Aggregate – Ratan Rawat, PINT, 745 runs at 57.31.

• Bowling Aggregate – Boney Sebastian, PINT, 33 wickets at 14.79.

• Club Cricketer of the Year – Keiran Toner, Palmerston, 734 runs, 15 wickets and nine catches.

 

D Grade

Tracy Village claimed both aggregate awards, while Palmerston’s Dale Edwards received Club Cricketer of the Year.

• Batting Aggregate – Shaheryar Zafar, Tracy Village, 646 runs at 46.14.

• Bowling Aggregate – Tamoor Mirza, Tracy Village, 38 wickets at 12.97.

• Club Cricketer of the Year – Dale Edwards, Palmerston, 544 runs, 22 wickets and seven catches.

 

E Grade

Palmerston’s Ryan Lehmann collected two awards, with Waratah’s Jesse Dean leading the wicket-taking.

• Batting Aggregate – Ryan Lehmann, Palmerston, 335 runs at 37.22.

• Bowling Aggregate – Jesse Dean, Waratah, 24 wickets at 11.13.

• Club Cricketer of the Year – Ryan Lehmann, Palmerston, 335 runs, 16 wickets, six catches, two run-outs and one stumping.

 

Sunday 1

Waratah claimed all three Sunday 1 awards, led by Dumindu Ranasinghe’s two honours.

• Batting Aggregate – Rithun Ramanan, Waratah, 321 runs at 35.67.

• Bowling Aggregate – Dumindu Ranasinghe, Waratah, 25 wickets at 10.32.

• Club Cricketer of the Year – Dumindu Ranasinghe, Waratah, 126 runs, 25 wickets and four catches.

 

Sunday 2

PINT claimed both aggregate awards, with Waratah’s Akila Ramanadan named Club Cricketer of the Year.

• Batting Aggregate – Pradeep Palanisamy, PINT, 380 runs at 54.29.

• Bowling Aggregate – Murali Malar, PINT, 28 wickets at 11.04.

• Club Cricketer of the Year – Akila Ramanadan, Waratah, 325 runs, 27 wickets, 10 catches and one run-out.

 

Umpire awards

Three umpires were recognised for their contributions across the competition.

• Community Umpire of the Year – John Tate.

• Women’s Umpire of the Year – Imran Muhammad.

• Premier Umpire of the Year – Rob Stuart.

 

Overall Team of the Year

The Overall Team of the Year recognised performances across the senior competition.

1. Ratan Rawat (PINT)

2. Mariyatharsha (Dinesh) Shanthakumar (PINT)

3. Mahmudul Hasan (PINT)

4. Varun Sudheer (PINT)

5. Azaan Syed (Tracy Village)

6. Tegan Rule (PINT)

7. Dumindu Ranasinghe (Waratah)

8. Junaid Mansoor (Waratah)

9. Tamoor Mirza (Tracy Village)

10. Kelly Armstrong (Southern Districts)

11. Anishka Perera (Waratah)

12. Lucas Nixon (Tracy Village)

 

A Grade Team of the Year

Twelve players earned selection in the A Grade Team of the Year.

1. Justin Galeotti (Southern Districts)

2. Prasanna Ketheeshwaran (PINT)

3. Dylan Hunter (Waratah)

4. Jake Gerrans (Tracy Village)

5. Alex Bleakley (Palmerston)

6. Moe Spencer (Nightcliff)

7. Oliver Tewatiya (Palmerston)

8. Will Blair (Nightcliff)

9. Hamish Martin (Palmerston)

10. Trent McVeigh (Nightcliff)

11. Dion Labban-Jeffries (Waratah)

12. Charlie Smith (Nightcliff)

 

Women’s Team of the Year

Players from five clubs were selected in the Women’s Team of the Year.

1. Tegan Rule (PINT)

2. Alana Horsfall (Tracy Village)

3. Amy Yates (PINT)

4. Lilith Ryan (Nightcliff)

5. Ekam Dhillon (Tracy Village)

6. Abbie Halvorsen (PINT)

7. Kelly Armstrong (Southern Districts)

8. Eliza Jagger (Tracy Village)

9. Nasimana Navaika (Southern Districts)

10. Abby McKissock (Palmerston)

11. Sam Ryan (PINT)

12. Kate Sherriff (Nightcliff)