Gayle, Samuels Win Top Awards in Jamaica

(Jamaica Observer)

West Indies opening batsman Chris Gayle took the Jamaica Cricketer of the Year award for 2002 at the Jamaica Cricket Association's (JCA) annual awards ceremony on Tuesday night.

Gayle, 23, is on tour of India and Bangladesh with the Windies. In his absence, his father, Dudley Gayle, and brothers, Andrew and Wayne, collected the $50,000 cheque donated by KFC.

Twenty-one year-old batsman, Marlon Samuels, who recently scored his maiden Test and one-day international centuries in India, copped the Young West Indies Cricketer of the Year award -- a prize collected on his behalf by older brother and Jamaica captain, Robert Samuels.

The tall, left handed Gayle took the top award after scoring 3,059 runs in all Test, first class and one-day games for West Indies, West Indies 'A' and Jamaica in the first 11 months of the calender year. He gathered 844 runs in 15 Tests for an average of 33.76 with a highest score of 204 against New Zealand.

In non-Test match first-class cricket, Gayle managed 898 runs in 11 matches for an average of 52.82. Twenty one-day internationals for the West Indies provided returns of 956 runs for an average of 50.32 and in all other one-dayers for Jamaica and West Indies 'A' he managed 361 runs for an average of 51.88.

Gayle recently took the man-of-the-series award for his commanding batting, including three centuries, in the recent seven-match one-day series in India which West Indies won 4-3.
His performance in India catapulted him to number three among batsmen in the ICC limited-overs world rankings.

He helped Jamaica to the 2002 Busta Cup title and to the final of the Red Stripe Bowl limited-overs title.

Marlon Samuels, who made his Test debut against Australia in that country two years ago, regained his place in the West Indies team for the third and final Test in India after dropping out of cricket late last year for knee surgery.

The stylish right-hander immediately responded with his first century at first-class and Test level as West Indies drew the Test match while losing the series 2-0.

In the final game of the seven-match one-day series, Samuels ensured victory for the West Indies and grabbed the man-of-the-match award with an unbeaten 75-ball 108 -- an innings described by knowledgeable observers as one of the best ever in 50-overs cricket.

Among other top individual awards, 16 year-old Xavier Marshall, who was Jamaica's top batsman at the under-19 tournament held here in August, took the George Headley award for excellence in youth cricket.

Marshall, with 269 runs in the tournament, got the award for most runs while left-arm pacer, Krishmar Santokie, took the prize for most wickets -- 20. Marshall was also the highest individual scorer in the Rothman's Senior Cup, hitting 249 for St Ann in the Middlesex Cup.

Santokie was the best all-rounder in the Middlesex Cup, scoring 366 runs, the most by any batsman in that contest, while taking 20 wickets at 13 each.

Under-19 youth captain, Shaun Findlay, took the EA Rae cash award for the national youth player setting the best example on and off the field. Findlay had the highest score in the Cornwall Cup, hitting 150 for St Elizabeth.

JDF, winners of the Rothmans National Championship and the Surrey Senior Cup, had an especially good night with Wayne Cuff, who scored 688 runs, the most in the Rothmans Senior Cup, captain, Paul Brown, most wickets with 53 and wicketkeeper, Mel Wint, with 22 dismissals all getting special recognition.
All three got special awards in addition to the OC Scott trophy for Brown, the RK Nunes trophy for Cuff and the Jackie Hendriks trophy for Wint.

Kingston batsman, Ricardo Powell, got the George Headley Trophy for most centuries -- three -- and the Ken Weekes Trophy for the highest score of 150 in the Rothmans Surrey Senior Cup.

Powell, who is with the West Indies team in Bangladesh, also got the Unifruitco Cup for best fielder.

* SOURCE: Jamaica Observer.