Daron Cruickshank was named Queen's Park Cricket Club (QPCC) Cricketer of the Year at the sporting organisation's end-of-season awards held at the Century Ballroom at the Queen's Park Oval on Tragarete Road, Port-of-Spain, on Friday.The youngster beat out celebrated Parkites Kevon Cooper, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine for the coveted prizes. Khary Pierre rounded off the top five contenders for the top award.
Cruickshank, who joined the club back in 2002, has been playing professionally over the past six years both in England and Australia. This year, however, he opted to stay at home for the entire season, a move which ensured that the team was strengthened and consequently placed him in the view of the national selectors as a top candidate for regional opportunities.He emerged as the leading run scorer this year, helping his team secure two titles.
For his sterling efforts on the field, Cruickshank was awarded a retainer contract with the Leeward Islands for the 2015-2016 season.Cruickshank recorded a season total of 1,141 runs. His highest score was 157 not out. In all the competitions played under the QPCC banner, he was able to register an average of 57.05 which included a memorable innings played in a T20 final.
An injury, however, hampered his bowling output and was consequently limited to just 53 overs for the season.Meanwhile, wicket-keeper batsman Joshua Da Silva, who captained the Under-19 team to Barbados for the past two years, was the voted the Phil Thomson Youth Personality of the Year.
Reputed to be the youngest player selected to tour the United Kingdom, he had the honour to serve as captain of the north zone team that won last year's U-17 title.In Barbados, he topped the batting averages for the team and was awarded the prize for most dismissals in the tournament.
Fast bowler Quammie Mohammed, 16, walked away with the Runako Morton Award for the Most Promising Youth Cricketer of the Year, while all-rounder Tion Webster, was declared the Peter Waithe Youth Cricketer of the Year.
Mohammed represented T&T as a member of the U-17 squad in 2015 tournament and was described as a player to watch for future championships. Recognised for his commitment to working hard as witnessed by his regular attendance at practice, Mohammed proved his worth this season. He took 18 wickets with abest of five for eight against Calcutta in the Premier 2 Reserve League.
Webster, a beneficiary of the Pollard Scholarship to the UK in 2014, had his season cut short last year due to injury having took four wickets in the first innings and scoring 101 not out in a match against Preysal SC.He ended the season with a batting average of 34 and took 14 wickets. On his recovery, Webster returned to play during the UK tour where he continued to impress with his all-round ability.
A member of QPCC for a mere five years, Webster represented T&T at U-19 tournament and hoped to one day catch the eyes of the selectors.With the absence of Cooper (Kevon), Javon Searles and Cruickshank (Daron) for the 2016 season, Webster was expected to lead QPCC fast bowling attack, as well as add a lot of runs in the middle order.
