Broadbeach-Robina pair become first from same club to share Sam Loxton Medal
Steven Baker and Reece McDonald have become the first duo from the same club to share the Sam Loxton Medal for the competition’s best player in Kookaburra Cup history. The pair open up about their place in history here.
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STEVEN Baker’s job is to help improve young cricketers but he has shown even the most experienced can add to their game after winning the prestigious Sam Loxton Medal.
Baker and Broadbeach-Robina teammate Reece McDonald, 36, have become the first duo from the same club to share the medal for the competition’s best player in Kookaburra Cup history.
Baker, 43, is an opening batsman and wicket keeper who produced a haul of 513 runs at an average of 73.29 while paceman McDonald took 37 wickets at 9.19.
“For young fellas looking at this, it shows if you keep wanting to improve yourself you can get better,” Baker, who heads the cricket program at The Southport School, said.
“If you are willing to work hard on your game you can still achieve these things.”
Making the feat even more amazing for Baker is the fact he is rarely able to play after Christmas due to his coaching commitments while his omission from the Gold Coast Thunder team provided him an opportunity to play more club cricket and ample motivation to score runs.
“The biggest thing for me is for (McDonald) to get recognised and it’s nice to get recognised on having a good season myself,” Baker said.
“There are some really good players whose names are on that trophy so it’s nice to have ours on there.”
It’s the second Sam Loxton Medal McDonald has won in the past decade.
“It’s really good to win it,” McDonald said.
“I was pretty shocked, I didn’t think I was in contention at all. It’s special to win.
“It is even better to share it with Steven and to win a premiership with him and the boys too.”
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