Wallsend's Nathan Price takes early lead in Newcastle District Cricket Association's player-of-the-year award for 2022-23

Price, a two-time winner of the individual prize, has collected eight points from the opening six rounds to lead narrowly ahead of Stockton's reigning champion Nick Foster and City recruit Oli Carter (seven).

Wallsend captain and former recipient Jake Montgomery is one further back alongside City skipper Ben Patterson (six).

Wests leg-spinner Aaron Bills, University batsman Andrew Harriott, former Charlestown leader Jed Dickson, Stockton seamer Lincoln Melmeth and Waratah-Mayfield all-rounder Josh McTaggart each share the next rung down (five).

Price, who missed one game and another washed out, has polled points in three of four appearances in 2022-23 featuring dual man-of-the-match performances.

The right-hander has 246 runs at an average of 123 so far this season, including an unbeaten century in an outright victory, plus another 47 added to his tally on day one of Wallsend's current encounter against City.

Price previously collected the gong in back-to-back campaigns - solo in 2018-19 after splitting the honours with Adrian Chad 12 months earlier.

* NEWCASTLE have three fixtures scheduled for this weekend's opening round of NSW Country's under-16 Bradman Cup. They are due to meet North Coastal (2pm) and Central Coast (6pm) in consecutive T20 hits in Kempsey on Saturday followed by a 50-over affair with Central North (9:30am) on Sunday.

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