Adams won the first ever Sting In The Tail "Player of the Year" competition by polling 35% of votes cast, although Chesterfield and England lad Ian Blackwell jokes on the site message board that Adams "must have spent more than the £100 voucher prize to get 35% of the votes"

Read: David Adams voted Player of the Year 2002

Speaking to Sting In The Tail after the presentation, Adams said that he would be donating his prize to the Chesterfield juniors to purchase some new kit for the 2003 season. Adams told Sting "I am looking forward to the new season, especially now we have Andy Brown as our first Director of Youth and Cricket Development."

"Brown will be opening our batting next season and I expect a bold show from our squad which has also been supplemented by former Langley Mill and Derbyshire off-spinner Simon Lacey. With former Somerset and Middlesex pace man Ian Jones available now, our opponents face the prospect of an ex-county bowler who can deliver the ball at speeds of 85mph."

Andy Mitchell congratulates David Adams in front of
owzat's extensive range of Gray Nicholls kit

Lacey, who captained the unfortunate Langley Mill side last year, is a valuable all-rounder and reunites with former Derbyshire colleague Brown. The two were not only at Derbyshire together, but also featured prominently for the Millers a few years back. If anything, Lacey under-achieved for the Millers last season, but with the responsibility of captaincy removed from his shoulders, he could be a force to be reckoned with at Queen's Park come April.

It will be a brave man who bets against Chesterfield filling one of the top three spots when the 2003 season ends in September.

Finally, a special thank you to owzat-cricket for their interest in the site and their kind sponsorship of the "Player of the Year" competition. Hopefully, the relationship with owzat, who are one of the country's biggest online cricket stores, can be developed in 2003. To take a look at owzat's online store, click the logo below ...

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