Samuels, Taylor snatch top honours

Marlon Samuels (right) and Stafanie Taylor pose with their trophies after sweeping the top awards at the WICB/WIPA Awards Ceremony on Tuesday night. (Photo courtesy WICB)

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Stylish stroke-maker 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/West Indies Players’ Association Awards Ceremony here.

Marlon Samuels (right) and Stafanie Taylor pose with their trophies after sweeping the top awards at the WICB/WIPA Awards Ceremony on Tuesday night. (Photo courtesy WICB)
Marlon Samuels (right) and Stafanie Taylor pose with their trophies after sweeping the top awards at the WICB/WIPA Awards Ceremony on Tuesday night. (Photo courtesy WICB)

Samuels captured the prestigious Cricketer-of-the-Year award 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 centuries and five half-centuries.

Chris Gayle won the T20 Player-of the-Year honour.

AWARDS:

Under-19 Team of the Year: Guyana.

Under-19 Player of the Year: Shimron Hetmyer.

First-class Team of the Year: Guyana.

PCL 50-over Player of the Year: Jason Mohammed.

PCL Four-day Player of the Year: Veerasammy Permaul.

Caribbean T20 Player of the Year: Dwayne Bravo.

ODI Player of the Year: Marlon Samuels.

Women’s ODI Player of the Year: Stafanie Taylor.

Test Player of the Year: Darren Bravo.

T20 Player of the Year: Chris Gayle.

Women’s T20 Player of the Year: Stafanie Taylor.

Emerging Player of the Year: Jomel Warrican.

WICB Lifetime Achievement Award: Clarvis Joseph.

WIPA Lifetime Achievement Award: Ralston Otto.

Women’s Player of the Year: Stafanie Taylor.

Cricketer of the Year: Marlon Samuels.