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...named '99 Cricketer of the year

West Indies cricket captain Brian Lara was yesterday selected as the 1999 Trinidad and Tobago senior Cricketer of the Year. The announcement came at the 43rd Annual Prize-giving and Awards Ceremony of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control, (T&TCBC) held at the Angostura Lounge in Laventille.

Lara copped the award mainly as a result of his outstanding performance in the Test series against Australia in the Caribbean earlier this year. The world double record holder slammed three centuries during the four-match encounter, enabling his team to bounce back to draw the series 2-2 after their humiliating defeat in the first match in which they were bowled out for a mere 52 runs at the Queen's Park Oval. Lara led the way for his team with a superb double century (213) to level the series at Sabina Park in Jamaica. He followed up this virtuoso performance with another at Kensington Park in Barbados where he scored a magnificent 154 not out to see his team to an exciting one-wicket victory.

Lara then capped of a fine Test ``season'' with a hurricane century (100) off only 72 balls at the Antigua Recreation Ground. Despite his efforts, however, the Aussies were able to square the series and retain the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy.

Also named along with Lara as the five senior Cricketers of the Year were West Indies pacer Mervyn Dillon, West Indies batsman Lincoln Roberts, middle-order batsman Dennis Rampersad and fast bowler Marlon Black.

The Carib National League Cricketer of the Year title went to hard-hitting opening batsman Clint Yorke. The Santa Cruz Sports Club skipper scored 709 runs (including three centuries) and picked up 15 wickets with his medium pacers. Andre Lawrence (Queen's Park Cricket Club), Brent Lezama (Merry Boys), Vickram Ramoutar (Sims Central Sports) and Dave Mohammed (PowerGen Sports Penal) were also named among the five National League Cricketers of the Year.

National youth off-spinner Rodney Sooklal, who is currently the leading wicket-taker in the NorTel Youth series taking place in Barbados, was voted the National Youth Cricketer of the Year. He copped the award ahead of National Youth captain Zaheer Ali, Chris Magram, Gregory Mahabir and Davindra Krishna.

The Club of the Year title was won by Alescon Comet of Charlieville. Led by West Indies opening batsman Suruj Ragoonath, Comet won the Mt d'or limited-overs series as well as the Carib Sunday League title and were edged out by one point by Caroni Wanderers for the Carib National championship.

Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie, Executive director of the Institute of Business, delivered the feature address at the function. Tewarie warned the young cricketers that talent alone can only take you to a certain level and that other support systems will be needed if success is to be achieved. He emphasised that without effective management there would always be weakness.

Among those in attendance at the gala ceremony were former West Indies pacer and manager of the National Under-15 team Ian Bishop, former West Indies opening batsman Bryan Davis, Dillon, former vice-president of the TTCBC and Principal of the University of the West Indies, Professor Baldwin Mootoo, and Mr Horace Bhopalsingh, Managing Director of Caribbean Development Company.

Lara was not present to receive his award.