IT'S a sign of a rare talent that it can be spotted as early as cricketer Gaby Lewis's has been. The all-rounder was named this week as the Aengus Fanning Emerging Player of the Year, a prestigious award sponsored by the Sunday Independent in honour of our former editor. The award is voted for by the men's and women's national squads and coaches, and this year's winner is just 14 years old.

Lewis attracted some attention last year when she became the first person born in the 21st century to be capped at full international level in any major sport, anywhere in the world. She has since nailed down her place in the team and will be flying off next week to the World Cup qualifier in Thailand.

“This is a great honour for me, and for my team-mates,” she said at the ceremony in Dublin as she collected her award from Sunday Independent editor Cormac Bourke.

Lewis points to the senior players, Isobel and Cecelia Joyce and Clare Shillington, for helping her adapt to the international game, and to the recently-recalled Ciara Metcalfe, “she's been great, she's brought a bit of fun into the squad.”

Gaby's rise has been even more extraordinary as just three years ago there was no women's cricket played in her club, YMCA. Next week five members will fly out to Bangkok, her elder sister Robyn among them. Gaby likes playing alongside her, although “she can be a bit annoying at times.”

Packed away with her bat will be her Junior Cert textbooks, as the St Andrew's College Christmas exams start the day after she returns from the qualifiers. Gaby already plans to spend Transition Year in Australia, where she hopes to play in the Big Bash T20 which now includes a women's tournament.

The awards as International Players of the Year were won by Kim Garth and Ed Joyce.

Garth was to the fore as Ireland took on the world champions in a memorable three-match series. “Playing against Australia made us set higher standards for ourselves. It also made us realise that we are not a million miles off them. And that has given us great confidence going to India.”