Discarded West Indies opening batsman Chris Gayle copped the International Cricketer-of-the Year and the West Indies Test Player-of-the-Year awards at the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) 2010 award ceremony held at Queen’s Hall, Port of Spain last week.
The 31-year-old ex-West Indies captain, who is currently embroiled in controversial dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and team management, credited the 333 he scored against Sri Lanka in Galle last November, in the first Test of the rain-aborted three-Test series, as the highlight of his year.
Trinidad and Tobago all-rounder Kieron Pollard was named West Indies One-Day Player of the Year, all-rounder Darren Sammy, was adjudged as the West Indies T20 Player of the Year, with Guyanese leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo taking the Caribbean Twenty20 Player of the Year accolade.
Trinidad and Tobago batsman Darren Bravo was voted as Emerging Player of the Year, his countryman Kieron Joseph was named Under-19 Player of the Year and the Windward Islands took the Under-19 Team of the Year.
Jamaican Stephanie Taylor took the International Women’s Player of the Year trophy.
Barbadian psychologist Dr. Rudi Webster, a former West Indies team manager delivered the feature address, while WIPA President Dinanath Ramnarine also spoke at the event.
