Sarwan is Guyana’s Cricketer of the Year

Dec 31, 2009 Sports

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Griffith cops junior title

Former West Indies Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan was named Guyana’s cricketer of the year for the 2nd consecutive year when the Guyana Cricket Board held its annual Awards Ceremony at the Umana Yana in Georgetown on Tuesday night.
The 29 year-old from the Essequibo Island of Wakanaam with 15 centuries from 83 Tests and a Test and ODI average of over 40, had a tremendous home series against England when he scored 662 runs with 3 hundreds and an average of 104.33 from 5 Tests before scoring another century in the 2-Test series in England less than a month later.
The elegant right-hander, who captained Guyana to the final of the Regional One-Day tournament in Guyana last month, just managed 88 runs from 2 Tests in Australia but finished the year with 850 runs at an average of 60.71 from 9 Tests.
Sarwan scored 170 runs from 4 matches to average 56.66 in the Regional One-Day series to end another good year despite his ordinary series in Australia when he missed a Test due to injury.
Eighteen-year-old left-handed West Indies under-19 opener Trevon Griffith was voted Guyana’s junior cricketer of the year (Roy Fredericks Trophy) at the well attended ceremony which concluded with a cocktail reception.
He scored the most runs, including the first century in the last Regional 3-Day under-19 series in Jamaica and a hundred in Guyana senior 4-team 4-day competition.
Recalled Test batsman Narsingh Deonarine received the Guyana senior cricketer of the Year (Clive Lloyd) award for his record breaking 2009 regional First-Class season.
The left-hander became the first batsman to score 1,000 runs in a Regional First-Class season and his 1,068 runs is more than any other batsman have scored. Runako Morton (1,010) and Floyd Reifer (1,001) are the only other batsmen to ever score 1,000 in a Regional season.
Former West Indies youth batsman Assad Fudadin, who has been in very good form in Guyana’s inter county competition, took the senior domestic cricketer of the year (Rohan Kanhai trophy), while Guyana’s newest ODI player Royston Crandon, who was selected for the Champions Trophy in South Africa, got the most improved player (Lance Gibbs) award.
The Chetram Singh led GCB also presented special awards to West Indies Test batsman Travis Dowlin for his selection on the Test and ODI teams in 2009 while Guyana’s female West Indies cricketers; 17-year-old all-rounder Shamaine Campbell and pacer Tremayne Smartt were also presented with special awards for their selection on the West Indies senior women’s team.
Campbell, a petite right-handed batter, leg-spinner and wicketkeeper, scored the only century in the female regional under-19 cricket tournament as Guyana lost to Jamaica in the final and also scored a ton in the Guyana female inter county competition to put herself in line for the Guyana junior sportswoman award while Smartt was one of Guyana’s top performers in the senior regional women’s tournament in Guyana.
Griffith, fellow Guyana and West Indies under-19 player Keon Joseph, the fastest bowler in the 2009 Regional under-19 series were also presented with special awards while Jonathon Foo was given an award for being adjudged Guyana’s best fielder in the 2009 TCL Group Regional under-19 series.
Joseph Taylor who plays the Pepsi and Digicel Mascots at Regional and International cricket and who is always present even at local matches with his horns and flags encouraging the crowd to get involved in the action beyond the boundary, was given a special award for his contribution to the off-the field entertainment.
University Professor Dr. Winston McGowan collected a special award for his contribution as a Cricket Historian.
Rohan Chandan also received an award for his contribution in Berbice as a Match Referee while former GCB Vice-Presidents Alvin Johnson and Malcolm Peters, former national selector Lennox Hunte, ex-GCB Secretary and WICB Director Bish Panday, and GCB Assistant Treasurer Anil Beharry also collected special awards for their contributions as cricket administrators.
Berbice Club Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club received the President’s Trophy after being named the Club of the Year.
Master of Ceremonies Terry Holder explained that unlike in the past when success on the field was the main criteria for selection for team of the year, this year several other aspects were taken into consideration.
The Corentyne, Berbice Club is one of the few clubs in Guyana with a vibrant female team and plays a big role in helping the less fortunate in Berbice with several contributions during 2009.

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