It is the first time that the long serving Harmison has collected either award – but it comes in a year where he changed from being a medium pace bowler to a right arm spinner.

The 40 year old said: “I was a little bit surprised by it all. I knew I had done alright during the season but then so had most of the lads including Ben (Harmison), the two Jacks - Jessop and McCarthy – Cal Storey, Cam Skinner and skipper Sean McCafferty. I just try my best every Saturday and see what happens. I scored over 50 with the bat on three or four occasions during the campaign and was consistent especially when the side were in trouble. I have always been more of a bowler and I worked on my batting going to the nets every day during Covid.”

He continued: “I feel switching from medium pace to bowling spin has gone alright.
I’m not a natural spinner and in some games I didn’t bowl very well or bowled too quickly at times – but I still took nearly 40 wickets.”

Ashington-born Harmison acknowledges that he is now a genuine all rounder and revealed the plan behind his batting exploits last term: “I suppose it’s an old school mentality based around concentration levels and not wanting to give your wicket away,” he added, “I think we had a good season but it could have been better. We won the Plate, lost another cup final and finished fifth in division one – and most teams have a professional in their ranks whilst we don’t. We have some talented lads at the club and could have been placed even higher in the table but for fine margins.”

First eleven skipper Sean McCafferty said of Harmison: “James has been the stand out player this year. To switch from being a medium pacer to bowling spin and to have the impact which he had was unbelievable – not to mention the runs he scored down the order which bailed us out a few times.”

Jack Jessop (batter of the Year) and Cam Skinner (bowler of the Year) won the other first team awards.

Pictured is James with his son Lennon who took his first hat-trick recently at the age of 11.

Picture: by Stuart Davison