West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels who was terrific with the bat last year was adjudged Player of the year by WICB, Chris Gayle won the T20 player of the year
Internet Desk: Attacking batsman Marlon Samuels and West Indies Women’s captain Stafanie Taylor walked away with the top honours at Tuesday night’s fourth West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)/West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) Awards Ceremony in Antigua.
Jamaican Samuels captured the prestigious Cricketer-of-the-Year award and added the One-Day International Player-of-the-Year honour, while Taylor secured the Women’s Player-of-the-Year honour.
The 25-year-old Taylor was also adjudged ODI Player-of-the-Year and Twenty20 International Player-of-the-Year, to complete a clean sweep of the women’s awards.
Last year, Samuels scored 484 runs from nine Tests while tallying 601 runs from 15 ODIs and 118 runs from five T20I outings.
The 35-year-old Jamaican also played a key role in West Indies’ capture of the Twenty20 World Cup in India last April, hammering an unbeaten 85 off 66 balls in the final to see off England.
He recently led West Indies’ batting in the recent Tri-Nations Series involving South Africa and Australia, carving out 258 runs at an average of 36.85.
Taylor, meanwhile, was her usual prolific self in both formats, hammering 491 runs in 10 ODIs last year at an average of 70.14, and 197 runs at an average of 49 in six T20Is.
She was also inspirational in guiding West Indies Women to the capture of their maiden T20 World Cup title in April, scoring 246 runs in six matches. Her half-century in the final was key to the Caribbean side’s victory over three-time defending champions Australia Women.
Darren Bravo, meanwhile, was adjudged Test Player-of-the-Year for his 644 runs at an average of 35, with a century and five half-centuries.
Chris Gayle won the T20 Player-of the-Year honour.