Inaugural Spirit of Cricket Award to be presented at Gabba

Brisbane under-14 cricketer Dean Warren will have the biggest day of his cricketing life when he steps out on to the Gabba to accept the inaugural Cricket Australia Spirit of Cricket Award.

The presentation will be made shortly before the start of play on day two of the first 3 Test match being played by Australia and India.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland and Queensland Cricket Chairman Damien Mullins SC will present Dean, who is captain of the Everton Comets Under 14s, with an autographed bat signed by the Australian team and a Spirit of Cricket pennant.

A panel of Cricket Australia judges awarded the first Spirit of Cricket Award to the Everton Comets team after their captain, Dean Warren, called back an opposition batsman who had been given out caught behind.

The Everton Comets team talked among themselves and then consulted the umpire before calling the player back.

Mr Sutherland said: "The spirit in which the game is played is just as important as achieving success, whether it is in the schoolyard, the local suburban oval or at an international level."

The awards have been introduced as part of this season's Cricket Australia Spirit of Cricket initiative announced by captains Stephen Waugh, Ricky Ponting and Belinda Clark and by Mr Sutherland in Perth on 7 October.

There will be a series of Spirit of Cricket awards for the national men's and women's competitions, which will be announced in March 2004.

The inaugural award is for an example of community cricket sportsmanship nominated by State Cricket Associations.