Champions end on triumphant note

After almost three (3) weeks of international cricket competition between eight

(8) teams, from various parts of the cricketing world, the curtain came down last

night on the CLICO International U15 Cricket Championships.

At the closing Dinner/Awards Ceremony, held at Pier 1, Chaguaramas, the teams

gathered together for the final time to say farewell.

However, what unfolded at the function was most certainly not planned by Tony

Harford, Master of Ceremonies.

After a quiet, even sedate, dinner the MC introduced well-known cabaret

performer, Denise Plummer, to the audience and what happened next can only

be described as an unforgettable experience.

In the twinkling of an eye Ms Plummer had the teams together on stage and

forming a conga-line dancing through the entire dining hall. The outpouring of

friendship and the camaraderie displayed by these young cricketers would have

taken even Harford by surprise. Denise Plummer had unleashed an untapped

reservoir of goodwill, which flooded the entire audience.

Mind you, all that was after a day of hard-fought and exciting cricket between

West Indies and Pakistan, in which the latter had suffered defeat, but instead of

disappointment these young lads showed that the game of cricket is more about

what happens off the field of play. In the final analysis, the friendships and

cultural exchanges are what really matter.

This was echoed by Ian Garcia of CLICO when he congratulated them because

they, “brilliantly met the tough challenge of being young athletes and at the

same time mature ambassadors of your respective countries.”

The function continued with awards being made to both individuals and teams

for their outstanding performances during the CLICO International U15 Cricket

Championships over the period April 16- May 4, 2008. The RBTT trophy for the

Spirit of the Games was won by Bangladesh, CLICO trophy for the Knockout

Champions by Pakistan, Barbados Tourism Authority award for Most Valuable

Player (MVP) by Kraigg Brathwaite and the CLICO Champions Trophy by the West

Indies team.