Gayle cops top prize at WIPA Awards
… other awards for Sarwan, Ganga, Jermaine Taylor and Stephanie Taylor
Guyana Chronicle
February 14, 2007
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Jamaican batsman Chris Gayle walked away with the top prize at the West Indies Players’ Association 2006 Awards function held on Monday night at the Sherbourne Conference Centre.
The 27-year-old Gayle was rewarded for his consistency over the last year in both forms of the game, copping the International Cricketer-of-the-Year at the ceremony that attracted the top figures in the Caribbean cricket fraternity.
Gayle was joined on the honours roll by Trinidad & Tobago’s Daren Ganga who captured the Test Player-of-the-Year award while Guyana’s Ramnaresh Sarwan picked up the One-Day International Player-of-the-Year.
Jamaican fast bowler Jerome Taylor carried off the Emerging Player-of-the-Year for his fine performances, since returning from injury early last year.
Gayle, who led the West Indies in one match on the recent ODI tour of India, scored 690 runs in Tests in 2006 at an average of 38.33 while taking 12 wickets.
In ODIs, the left-hander plundered 1 217 runs at an average of 41.97 with four centuries. He also picked up 29 wickets.
Ganga’s capture of the Test award was fuelled by his 708 runs during the last year at an average of 41.65. He stroked one century and four half-centuries in the process.
Sarwan, recovering from a hand injury sustained in the recent Carib Beer Series, was rewarded for his prolific scoring in ODIs which sees him averaging 44 from 115 matches.
During 2006, he scored 963 runs at an average of 43 and was a key player as West Indies made the finals of the Tri-Nation Series in Malaysia and the ICC Champions Trophy.
Taylor, returning to action last year in the series against New Zealand after spending almost three years sidelined with a back injury, made an instant impact for the Windies.
He grabbed 28 wickets in Tests and 39 in ODIs and assumed the responsibility of the lead strike bowler in the Windies attack.
The ceremony was attended by West Indies legends Clive Lloyd and Sir Garfield Sobers, along with several other outstanding past players.
Chris Dehring, managing director and chief executive of Cricket World Cup 2007, delivered the feature address at the ceremony.
WIPA’S 2006 AWARDS LIST
International Cricketer-of-the-Year - Chris Gayle
Women’s Cricketer-of-the-Year - Stephanie Taylor
ODI Player-of-the-Year - Ramnaresh Sarwan
Test Match Player-of-the-Year - Daren Ganga
Emerging Player-of-the-Year - Jerome Taylor
Player-of-the-Year - Ryan Hinds
Team of the Year – T&T
First-Class Player-of-the-Year (Limited Overs) - Kieron Pollard
First-Class Team-of-the-Year - T&T
U-19 Player-of-the-Year - Veerasammy Permaul
U-19 Team-of-the-Year - Guyana