Francois awarded both youth, senior cricketer of the year

Lauron Francois has achieved what no one else in the history of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association awards ceremony has done.

The 18-year-old was named both the youth and senior cricketer of the year when the association rewarded the 2006 top performers at a function last week Friday night at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown.{{more}}

Francois has progressed from the national Under-15 level to the Under-19 and made his senior debut last year in the Windwards tournament. This earned him a reserved spot in the Windwards team for this year’s Carib Beer series and KFC Cup.

Francois led St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the top in the Windwards Under-19 tournament held here last August – the lone male cricket title for this country in 2006.

But it was his performance in the regional championship that created an impression.

The soft spoken opening batsman captained the Windwards team and was rated highly for his exemplary leadership qualities – qualities he confessed were passed on by his father Lauron Baptiste.

“My father taught me a lot and he is a good leader at home,” he said. His father Lauron Baptiste captained the Windwards Under-19 team in the 1986 in Trinidad and Tobago.

The duo has created the history making moment in the Windward Islands being the first father and son to do so at Under-19.

Francois after an indifferent first outing in 2005 hit his maiden century at that level last year, scoring 135 against the host and eventual winner Guyana.

With another year at Under-19, Francois has to juggle his aspiration of becoming a West Indies cricketer with his A level exams in Economics, Accounting, Management of Business and Communication Studies, set for June and July.

He expressed last Friday night “the sky is the limit.”

“I will love to play for the West Indies and captain it”, Francois said.

He admires current West Indies opener Chris Gayle. Both have similarities as they are left -handers and are of a quiet disposition.

Francois apart from the two major titles was named among the Five Cricketers Of the Year for the second time in succession.