KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Stylish left-hander Darren Bravo snatched the headlines at the WICB/WIPA Awards ceremony here Thursday night, when he captured the West Indies Player-of-the-Year honour.
The honour was one of two for the 25-year-old as he was also crowned the Caribbean Twenty20 Player-of-the-year, for his outstanding efforts with Trinidad and Tobago.
“It’s a great feeling. I would like to thank Almighty God because without him none of this would be possible,” said Bravo.
“I have to thank my family and friends who supported me along the way, especially in the time of need, so I dedicate these awards to them.”
The highlight of Bravo’s year was his superb double century, 218, in the first Test against New Zealand at University Oval in Dunedin last December.
With West Indies facing sure defeat following on by 396 runs, Bravo produced a career-best 9-1/2 hour effort that helped secure a stalemate.
“It was a great innings down in New Zealand and it was my first time down in New Zealand as well. We were staring into the jaws of defeat and I went out there and put up my hand and did the job for the team,” Bravo said.
A controversial decision on the night, however, was Trinidad and Tobago being crowned Regional Four-Day Team-of-the-Year, despite Barbados winning the Regional first class title last year.
T&T finished fourth in the standings to qualify for the semi-finals where they beat Jamaica, but suffered a humiliating innings and 22-run defeat to the Barbadians in the final.
Meanwhile, Bravo’s older brother, Dwayne Bravo, captured the One-Day International Player-of-the-Year award while veteran left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul won Test Player-of-the-Year.
The 39-year-old Chanderpaul was also presented with a special award for reaching the milestone of 150 Tests, in the series against India last November.
Talismanic opener Chris Gayle, who will mark his 100th Test if he plays against New Zealand in the first Test at Sabina Park today, was also presented with a special award in anticipation of the achievement.
Off-spinner Sunil Narine, who controversially opted recently to skip a Windies preparation camp in Barbados in favour of the Indian Premier League final, captured the T20 International Player-of-the-Year honour.
Stafanie Taylor picked up the Women’s
Player-of-the-Year Award, for carrying her side’s batting over the last year.
The stylish Jamaican right-hander is ranked number two in the ICC ODI batting rankings and number one in the ODI bowlers rankings.
List of Awards:
UNDER-19 PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tagenarine Chanderpaul
UNDER-19 TEAM OF THE YEAR: Jamaica
REGIONAL LIMITED-OVERS PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Shane Shillingford
REGIONAL 4-DAY PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nikita Miller
REGIONAL 4-DAY TEAM OF THE YEAR: Trinidad & Tobago
EMERGING PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Miguel Cummins
CARIBBEAN TWENTY20 PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Darren Bravo
ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Dwayne Bravo
TEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Shivnarine Chanderpaul
TWENTY20 INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sunil Narine
WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Stafanie Taylor
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Darren Bravo
WICB LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Teddy Griffith
WIPA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Lockhart Sebastien
