Baksh is Biche Cricketer of the Year

The veteran cricketer and businessman, who received thunderous applause from the audience, also won a slew of other awards, including highest wicket-taker in the T20 League and Best Batting Average in the Sunday League.

Baksh also topped the list of the club’s five Cricketers of the Year.

The other players were Narad Singh, Ricardo Hernandez, Khishorn Hosein and Oje Morales, who had won the club’s 2015 Cricketer of the Year title.

At the event, young Brandon Dookhieram won the President’s Award as well as an award in the category Most Promising Player while Navin Bidaisee was declared Most Disciplined Player and Junior Cricketer of the Year.

In delivering the feature address, Baldath Mahabir, a Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) executive member, praised the club for its years of unwavering service to sport.

He said this commitment has led, in small measure, to the success of many of the community’s outstanding sportsmen.

Mahabir also noted the success of the club’s T20 League, which was introduced a few years ago.

“You already have the model for success to go forward. All you have to do is stitch the pieces together,” he said, lauding the contribution of the club’s president, Lewis Tom.

Reflecting on sport, both globally and home, Mahabir said attempts must be made to minimise the disruptive effects of errant players.

Sportswomen, he said, also should not be abused or disrespected.

Mahabir said at a time when village clubs were fast becoming a thing of the past, Biche Sports Club stood out as a shining example.

“In the early days, village clubs were voluntary organisations.....

We played and prayed together,” he said.

However, the sports administrator lamented that village clubs were now a dying breed, largely because of urban migration, technological change and the commercialisation of sport.

“They remain challenged by entities with better infrastructure,” he said, acknowledging that the club has for the most part survived these situations.

Mahabir said while there was no harm in experiencing other communities, one did not have to live in Biche to contribute to the village’s success in sport of any other endeavour.

He urged: “Draw on your goodwill and social capital. Trust is a great asset we don’t really build upon.

Encourage those who have left to come and help the village and lobby for improvement in your village.” Mahabir said persons must always seek ways and means to build their club.

“Always say what I can do for my club instead of what it can do for me,” he said.

Mahabir, a former director of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), said special attention must be paid to the young and less fortunate in the society.

Longtime Biche native Roosevelt Nicome, who had migrated to the US decades ago, but has since returned to TT, hailed the club as one of the most popular sporting organisations in the country.

The retired educator, who has maintained close ties with Biche, over the years, praised the area’s community spirit.

“That says something nice,” he said. Nicome, too, spoke highly of Tom’s involvement in sport.

“Lewis Tom has been organising sports or umpteen years, making efforts to bring the youths together in this growing agricultural area,” he said.

He urged Tom to “keep on doing what you are doing.” Kelvin Mohammed, president of the south-east zone, also spoke.

OTHER AWARDEES:

EDUCATION
Antonio Walcott
Kareem Swan
Nadia Sylvester

SPECIAL AWARDS -
Kayl; or Baboolal -
Ladies Football (International)
Arianne Neaves - Ladies Hardball Cricket

ASSISTANCE TO THE CLUB
Karen Khan-Morales
Jordanelle Williams
Deann Tom-Walcott
Stacey Tom
Michael Gooding
Cyril Jagdeo
Alvin Bidaisee
Patrick Morales
Sarah Mootoor.