West Indies cricketers Kirk Edwards and Kraigg Brathwaite were recognised in an elaborate ceremony on Friday night at the Counterpoint Wanderers club where their pictures were erected on to the wall along with other members who have represented the West Indies.
Edwards and Brathwaite both made their Test debuts during the 2011 season, with Edwards scoring a century in his first match, against India at the inaugural Test at Dominica’s Windsor Park, only the 13th West Indian to achieve the feat.
Wanderers’ eighth president in the club’s 133-year history, Richard “Prof” Edwards, himself a former Barbados and West Indies player, reminded the gathering that Edwards’ 113 was only the second Test hundred by a Wanderers cricketer. The other was the 219 by then captain Denis Atkinson in his epic seventh wicket partnership of 347 with fellow Barbadian Clairemonte dePeiza at Kensington Oval in 1955 against Australia.
It remains one of the most enduring Test records. The Wanderers club pavilion is named after Atkinson and his brother Eric, who also represented the West Indies.
Another Wanderers Test player Ian Bradshaw, the club’s present cricket captain, congratulated Edwards and Brathwaite, the West Indies under-19 skipper.
He noted that Brathwaite the heavy-scoring opener, was the first member of the now established Wanderers junior cricket programme to make the West Indies team. He toured the United Kingdom with Wanderers in 2004 and 2006 and was, according to Bradshaw, an inspiration to all juniors at the club.
Bradshaw also recognised the presence of the towering fast bowler Jason Holder, also a Wanderers junior graduate. Still only 19, Holder has represented Barbados at senior level since 2009 and was appointed vice-captain of the West Indies “A” team against Pakistan “A” in the Caribbean last year.
Also in attendance were Wanderers’ stalwarts Robin Bynoe, a Barbados and West Indies opener; Stephen Farmer, a Barbados all-rounder and one of the club’s most successful captains, and Mark Sealy, top scorer for the club in the Division 1 competition and a Barbados player in cricket, hockey and squash.
Mention was made of other Wanderers’ members who turned out for the West Indies in Tests, One-Day Internationals and “B” team. They were George Challenor, Roy Marshall, Norman Marshall, Michael Frederick, David Allan, Pedro Collins, Hendy Bryan, Keith Boyce, Tony Howard, Michael Worrell, Vibert Greene and Shane Julien.
Founded in 1877, Wanderers is Barbados’ oldest cricket club.
It was demoted from Division 1 this season for the first time in its long history but Edwards said he was heartened by the fact that all the players had remained, despite playing in the lower Upper Intermediate.
The demotion and the partial destruction of the clubhouse by Tropical Storm Tomas had made it what he termed one of Wanderers’ most difficult years.
In the circumstances, the president reminded members of the club’s motto: Fortiter Perstate Sequiter Auxilium (Hold on, help will come). (TC)
