GraceKennedy rewards outstanding schoolboy cricketers
GRACEKENNEDY, sponsors of urban schoolboy cricket since 2001 and rural Headley Cup from 2005, was lauded for their support and contribution to the local schoolboy game at the 2010 awards presentation at the company’s Harbour Street head offices in Kingston on Friday.
Albert Carcho, chairman of urban cricket at ISSA, praised the food giant for their investment in the development of the youth of the nation.
ISSA president, Dr Walton Small, was equally sentimental as he thanked GraceKennedy for the tremendous work they have been doing for school cricket.
“You are truly a corporate citizen,” he told the gathering.
GraceKennedy’s Chief Operating Officer, Don Wehby, noted that the company was committed to the expansion of the schoolboy game and the development of the sport in the West Indies.
“We know we have a role to play in building this beautiful land of Jamaica and by starting with youngsters we know the future is in good hands.
“We understand that this is an incubator for developing and nurturing talent that is needed in the West Indies,” he said.
Wehby said the annual sponsorship “is currently $9.5 million and we believe this represents and investment in our young people”.
Meanwhile, Grace Limited Overs Headley and Spalding Cup champions, St Elizabeth Technical, received $65,000 for topping the rural competition, while coach Clive Legister walked away with $50,000 after being voted the top rural coach.
His counterpart, Kirk Gordon of beaten Spalding Cup finalist and Grace Shield and Jamaica International Insurance Company (JIIC) Cup winners Innswood, took home $50,000 as top urban coach.
The school also received $65,000 for winning the urban competition. The top four teams in both competitions also walked away with cash prizes.
In rural play, Seaforth High’s Kashane Robert’s was the Headley Cup top run-scorer with 621 runs — which included three centuries — and he collected the First Global trophy as the top all-rounder, with 26 wickets to his name as well.
Donovan Nelson of champions St Elizabeth was the leading wicket-taker with 53, while Charlemont’s Kemar Marshall was the top-scorer in the limited-overs competition after amassing 554 runs.
In the Grace Shield league, Oraine Williams from champions Innswood took the top batsman award with a total of 810 runs.
Meadowbrook’s Oshane Walker was the competition’s top wicket-taker with 64, and he also took the Douglas Orane Shield and scholarship for exemplary display on the field and in the classroom.
