Bravo steals show at Queen’s Park awards

YOUNG West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, who made his Test and One-Day Internationals debut this year against England, scored a Queen’s Park Cricket Club hat-trick when he was voted their “Sportsman of the Year” at Christmas Dinner and awards function at the Crowne Plaza, Port-of-Spain on Friday night. Bravo was lustily applauded by all present including the President of Trinidad and Tobago George Maxwell Richards, US Ambassador Roy Austin, former Chief Justice Michael DeLabastide and QPCC president Willie Rodriquez.

Also at the function were Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson, West Indies Board’s chief selector Michael “Joey” Carew, QPCC secretary Ian Stone, club treasurer Peter Inglefield, Parkites vice-president Bruce Aenansen, QP manager Roger Henderson, WICB marketing director Darren Millien and Prestige Holdings’ Dane Darbasie. Also among the distinguished audience was West Indies captain Brian Lara who delivered a heart-warming feature address which was well received by everyone present. Bravo had also copped the club’s double of “Cricketer of the Year” and “Sportsman of the Year” titles in 2002 and 2003. It was no surprise that he was similarly serenaded to the stage to receive those coveted awards once again this season.

Most of the top performers were given standing ovations especially Lara who was also presented with a special award for his record-breaking Test score of 400 not out against England at the Antigua Recreation Ground on April 12 this year. Lara reclaimed the record from Australia’s Matthew Hayden (380 vs Zimbabwe) had broken his previous of 375, also against England at the same venue in 1994. On Friday he also had the honour of presenting the club’s top five “Cricketers of the Year” awards to Bravo, Jonathan Augustus (West Indies youth player), Earnil Ryan, Shakeel Ali and Mervyn Dillon (WI fast bowler). Playing for TT, Bravo emerged as the region’s best all-rounder with 481 runs and 28 wickets in the 2004 Carib Beer Series competition and then advanced to the senior West Indies team who played against England in the Caribbean and also in a return series in England.

There he blossomed and impressed everyone with his outstanding utility performances in the Test matches as well as the One-Day Internationals during the Nat-West Trophy and ICC Champions Trophy which West Indies won. The 20-year-old won the club’s “Sportsman of the Year” title from the four other nominees —  Mark Henderson (tennis), 22-year-old Jason Shepperd (football), 15-year-old Josh Pinard (squash) and Raphael Raffie Govia (hockey). Also TT’s captain Daren Ganga and his triumphant President’s Cup team were also honoured at the function and each received a plaque to commemorate their achievement. Manager Omar Khan, coach David Williams and trainer Gerald Garcia were also recognised for their contributions.

TT’s national youth player Petrock Nicholas, who made a century in the West Indies Youth Tournament in Jamaica, copped the “Youth Cricketer of the Year” award. The Phil Thomson Youth Personality Award, for the member who showed all the traits of  a good cricketer — regular at practice, excellent attitude, punctuality at matches, fine conduct and impessive performances was given to Dillon Rampersad. He scored a century in Super League matches and finished with a batting average of 56.75. Rampersad, with his offspinners, scalped 13 wickets at 13.38.