CLOBI treat for fans

It was a special night for West Indies cricket fans in many ways.
Their senior national team may be bringing back inconsistent returns, but regional fans showed their appreciation to their past heroes Friday on the opening night of the 2011 CLOBI Masters Cup.
The roar of the crowd just after 8 p.m. was enough to indicate their love for former stars, when Carl Hooper strode to the pitch.
But the night’s most special and poignant moment came when son of the soil Pedro Tyrone Collins from Boscobelle, St Peter was officially inducted into the Cricket Legends of Barbados honour roll.
Collins was officially brought in by chairman of the Legends Rawle Brancker at his beloved Kensington Oval.
Left-arm seamer Collins captured 106 wickets for the West Indies in 32 Tests and also represented Barbados, Middlesex and Surrey, taking a whopping 499 first class wickets in 147 games.
He was a worthy recipient on the night as he proudly collected his official legend’s tie.
The opening ceremony began spectacularly with a young crop of dancers from Dancin’ Africa choreographed by Jennifer Sealy dressed in back-in-time costumes and showcasing old and new dance movements.
Brancker, Minister of Sports, Culture, Family and Youth Stephen Lashley and Adrian Elcock, Chairman of the Barbados Tourism Authority all welcomed the many visitors to the country and to the Clobi Challenge.
Lashley told the thousands gathered that he hoped the cricket over the next couple of days will reinvigorate the many battles England and West Indies have fought over the years.
He indicated that he felt a sense of nostalgia being on the ground and in the company of so many past greats.
He concluded by praising the Cricket Legends of Barbados for being able to organize the tournament, having adapted to the current economic challenges. 
In his short address BTA chairman Elcock invited the visitors to experience everything that Barbados had to offer.
He also praised local cricket for having transcended the Barbados brand even before the emergence of singing sensation Rihanna. (BA/PR)