By Neto Baptiste
President of the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA) Leon Rodney believes that national and West Indies cricketer Rahkeem Cornwall should have won the 2019 sportsman of the year award after sprinter Cejhae Greene was announced winner during last Saturday’s ceremony held at the Casa Palmadita Restaurant in Fitches Creek.
“I am satisfied that every submission ABCA would have sent in that we would have improved tremendously in making our submissions and those submissions were written by a very skillful executive teacher of ours. The submissions, as I said, have improved and when you would have looked at the stats that are attached to the submissions, then I am not sure that anybody in their rightful mind would not want to believe that Jimbo would have been the clear winner of his segment,” he said.
Cornwall was the top wicket-taker in the 2018-19 Regional Four Day competition, taking 54 wickets, despite only playing nine matches to help the Leeward Islands Hurricanes to a third place finish in the competition. He was also named Cricket West Indies’ Player of the Year for 2019.
Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, Rodney also sought to debunk reports that the association’s submissions to the judges were inadequate where it pertains to the quality of information included.
“It is always going to be subjective and from where I sit, I honestly believe that there is only one person who is deserving of the sportsman of the year award and that would be Jimbo. I am not sure what else in the writing that people would have wanted to imagine could have been there. Sometimes, it is easy to say that more should be put in the write up, but what do you know about Jimbo as a judge, because you have to also use your imagination as to what you would have seen in the writing and understand clearly,” the cricket boss said.
Asked if the association would be consulting the judges as to where improvements in their submissions could be made going forward, Rodney said he is not convinced it would make a significant difference on future decisions.
“I don’t think that any association would have done anything wrong and that’s why I say it is subjective. What they have to do is listen and understand that maybe the next time, you try to see how much more you can put into the writing so I don’t think it would be necessary because I am looking and hearing and I am sure that our directors are listening and especially the ones assigned to do things like that and probably take a look at it and see exactly if more can be done,” he said.
US-based high-jumper Priscilla Frederick, was named senior Sportswoman of the Year while in the junior division, Joella Lloyd and Ajarni Daley were the female and male winners.