Lara feature speaker at WIPA awards

Brian Lara will deliver the feature address when the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) host their third annual Players Awards Function at the Convention Centre in Chaguaramas on May 24. Lara has won the West Indies Player of the Year award on two occasions (2003 and 2004), and remains a major contender for a third such accolade.

"I believe this is a first and shows the extent to which Brian supports the association and the people who make it possible," Dinanath Ramnarine, the WIPA president, told the press at the launch of the event. The theme of the event is "The Pursuit of Excellence" and is described by Ramnarine as "a bigger and better WIPA Players Awards Function".

For the first time, the awards will be broadcast live throughout the Caribbean and on new television station CNMG in Trinidad and Tobago. The judges for the function are regional selectors, chairman Joey Carew, Gordon Greenidge and Clyde Butts, along with Roddy Estwick, the national Under-19 coach, and Gayle Daniel-Worrell, the T&T Women's Cricket Board of Control president.

On an international level, Supreme Ventures will sponsor the accolades for West Indies One-day International Player of the Year and Test Player of the Year, while First Citizens also sponsor the West Indies Cricketer of the Year prize. This year, WIPA will be adding an award for the Woman Cricketer of the Year, compliments First Citizens. According to Ramnarine, "This is manifest evidence of WIPA's recognition of, and commitment to women's cricket in the region".

The event will also see the addition of the awards for Under-15 Team of the Year and Under-15 Player of the Year. Among the other regional awards up for grabs on the night are Under-19 Team and Under-19 Player of the year; First Class team and First Class Player of the Year; Emerging Player of the Year; and First Class Team and First Class Player of the Year (KFC Cup).