Nominations (89) were down from the previous year mainly due to the fact the ‘Photo of the Year’ category received less nominations this year. Martin Vieira, RDM ICC Americas commented, “I am not at all disappointed with the drop of nominations because the quality of the nominations received was exceptional and they covered all categories, I am disappointed that some countries failed to submit at least one nomination. I maintain every country has an event or volunteer worthy of at least being nominated”.
Bermuda, after four consecutive years lost the coveted award of ‘Best Overall Cricket Development Programme’ to new Associate Suriname, but can take comfort in the fact they were the runners up.
Martin Vieira, ICC Americas Regional Development Manager commented, “The quality of nominations continues to improve which tells me our Development Programme is moving in the right direction. I have stated before these awards are vital to our development programme, volunteers are our foot soldiers on the ground as we move forward in making Cricket a Bigger, Better, Global sport. It is important to recognize and reward their efforts when we can and these awards certainly highlight their tremendous efforts and sacrifices. While we congratulate the winners let us not forget the scores of others who did not win or were not even nominated. Without their support our achievements in the development programme would be severely restricted.”
Bermuda can take comfort in the fact that the quality of their nominations continue to be exceptional. Their two awards are a fitting recognition of their tremendous overall effort in Cricket Development in the region. The hard working Lionel Tannock is justly rewarded as ‘Volunteer of the Year’ and their National Academy was recognized as the ‘Best Junior Cricket Initiative’. The USA joined Bermuda as the other big winner this year. A major contribution by the Apple Pickers Foundation allowed the Women’s USA team to prepare and take part in the WC qualifier in Bangladesh. Their respectable showing including a victory over a Full Member would not have been possible without the proper preparation, such as the camps in Barbados (arranged by ICC Americas) and Florida. For their support of Women’s Cricket in the USA they were awarded ‘Best Women’s Cricket Initiative’. The USA scored their second victory with the ‘Photo of the Year’, “In flight”. So typical of cricket development at the grass roots level, the combination of an eager player, a ball, a bat and a garbage can as the wicket and you have a future star “in flight”.
The ‘Best Spirit of Cricket Initiative’ went to Cricket Chile for their project in combining other elements of life with the game of cricket. Canada’s new and upbeat website earned them the ‘The Best Promotion and Marketing Programme’ award. Very few would argue the selection of well known Elite Umpire Courtney Young’s ‘Lifetime Award’ for his many years of service to Cayman Islands Cricket.
All ICC Americas Development Programme Award winners will now be nominated for the Global Award in their respective category. The ICC judging panel will then select a global winner from the 5 regions in each of the categories. The Global winners will be announced on February 28, 2011.
ICC Americas Regional Development Manager, Martin Vieira remarked, “I wish all of our Regional winner’s good luck in the Global judging and thank those countries who actively participated in this year’s contest.”
