Dr Adams preaches value of education at DCC Awards Ceremony

As part of his feature address at the Demerara Cricket Club’s (DCC’s) Awards Ceremony, held on Wednesday at the club’s premises in Queenstown, Georgetown, former national cricketer Dr. Vincent Adams urged recipients and attendees alike to attach to education an importance equal to what they would attach to sports.
Now head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Adams’s feature address placed much emphasis on professional athletes being educated. He spoke about his life as a cricketer, sighting the importance of remaining positive when faced with challenges on and off the field, and admonished the players to keep abreast with their education as well as keep focusing on their games.
National table tennis player Jonathan Van Lange, national U19 batsman Sachin Singh, U19 pacer Nkosi Beaton, Windies U19 spinner Ashmead Nedd, and Guyana Jaguars all-rounder Christopher Barnwell were each conferred with the prestigious Clive Lloyd Player-of-the-Year Award.
Currently on duty with the Jaguars, who recently commenced their title defence in the 4-Dayers, Barnwell also copped numerous awards, including in the first division; the Andrew Lyght Sr. Award for the Most Centuries Scored, and the Keith Semple Award for Centuries Scored in 2018. Dionne Cush-Barnwell, wife of the all-rounder, accepted the trophies on her husband’s behalf.
Young sensation Jonathan Van Lange, who is away on international duty, won awards in both U13 and U15 divisions for his work in table tennis.
U19 pacer Nkosi Beaton was conferred with numerous awards. He copped awards in the U19 division, the Garvin Nedd Most Improved Youth Player Award, the Cricketer-of-the-Year Award, as well as the special award from SOS – the Justice Aubrey Bishop Award — for being the club’s top student at CXC in 2018.
Windies U19 speedster Qumar Torrington copped the Frederick Wills Award for his Outstanding Achievements at CAPE.
Spinner Totaram Bishun was among those presented with the Lance Gibbs Award for Outstanding Bowling Performances.
Guyana Jaguars opener Trevon Griffith, currently on duty, received the Roger Harper Best Fielder Award in the Senior Category; while Windies U19 batsman Raymond Perez, Alphius Bookie, Nkosi Beaton, Trevon Griffith and Joshua Persaud joined Barnwell as the other recipients copping the Keith Semple Award for Centuries Scored in 2018.
Sachin Singh, who has been outstanding in both the U19 and U17 divisions, was given the Mark Harper Award for being the Most Outstanding DCC Youth Player for Guyana.
Hard-hitting Windies and Guyana Jaguars all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford bagged the Linden Joseph Award for Most Outstanding Senior Player for Guyana in 2018; while he, Nedd, and West Indies player Keemo Paul were further conferred with the Berkeley Gaskin Award for Five-Wicket Hauls for Guyana.
Veteran national youth coach Garvin “Tibsy” Nedd was bestowed the Colin Wiltshire Award for his Continued Success as Club Coach in 2018.
A number of other cricketers were given awards for their achievements in the calendar year; with DCC President Roger Harper, Executive Mark Harper and other special guests lauding the recipients for their brilliance, while urging those who fell short this year to continue striving for excellence.
The annual event saw the century-old club, which has produced some of the best and legendary Windies players, hail its cricketers and coaches for their strides made during the year with numerous awards; and awardees flocking the DCC pavilion. (Clifton Ross)