Pressure points

WEST INDIES CRICKET BOARD (WICB) president Reverend Wes Hall has encouraged young cricketers of tomorrow to always give of their best and has issued sound advice to present and young cricketers on how to handle and deal with pressure. Hall was speaking at the Big B Spartan Club awards ceremony at Solidarity House last Friday night.

"We don't teach these young people how to handle pressure at all. No one even told me how to handle pressure, and in the same way we are coaching these youngsters how to bat, bowl and field, we must also teach them how to handle pressure," Hall said.

He stressed that even when you are successful, you should still be able to deal with pressure "and if you do, you'll make a better cricketer".

Praising the efforts of the Big B sponsored club over the year, Hall said those involved in Spartan's junior programme should strive to build the club.

He also touched on the role and involvement of women in clubs these days.

"I have noticed that in Barbados, most of the clubs that are successful have women playing dominant roles and we must continue to encourage them to play an integral part in the whole structure of the clubs," the WICB head said.

Several awards were made during the evening, some of which went to the junior cricketers of the club, as well as long-standing supporters Eric Sealy, Mary Codrington, and Juanita Barrow.

There were also special awards to former captain and Barbados player George Linton and managing director of Big B, Richard Edwards.

Captain Dave Marshall, who took the most wickets for Spartan in the Courts/Suzuki Division 1 competition, was named Player Of The Year and received a Shield and a trip to St Lucia compliments Caribbean Star.