Harpy Eagles win lion share of West Indies Championship awards

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

 Despite being dethroned by the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, the Guyana Harpy Eagles still managed to walk away with the majority of individual awards on offer following the completion of the West Indies Championship on Wednesday.

The three-time defending champions were defeated by T&T Red Force by 141 runs in the final at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium to lose their grip on the title they held since 2023.

However, Gudakesh Motie, captain Tevin Imlach, and pacer Nial Smith took home individual awards.

Left-arm spinner Motie was the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, with 29 wickets, to claim the Courtney Walsh Award. He finished with four more than T&T’s Anderson Phillip, whose 25 wickets were the most by a fast bowler, while fellow Red Force pacer Jayden Seales was third with 23 wickets.

 Meanwhile, Imlach earned the Deryck Murray Award for Best Wicketkeeper with 13 dismissals from four games.  T&T’s captain, Joshua Da Silva, finished with 15 dismissals in his five matches, but Imlach’s dismissals per innings were higher.

Smith took home the Sir Andy Roberts Award after being named the Most Promising Fast Bowler.

The 30-year-old ended the tournament with 14 wickets from four matches to be the eighth highest wicket-taker.

T&T were not to be left out, with Da Silva winning the Sir Vivian Richards Award after he finished the competition with the most overall runs (413 runs at an average of 59), edging compatriot Amir Jangoo (411 runs at an average of 68.50).

Additionally, fast-bowling all-rounder Terrance Hinds claimed the Malcolm Marshall Memorial Award, given to the Best All-Rounder.

Hinds scored 274 runs at an average of 45.66 and also took 15 wickets.