SPORT
but also to experience the wonders of Africa,” Drakes shared. Drakes has a long history as an experienced cricketer, having represented Central and Malvern Cricket Clubs in the local, intermediate divisions as well as captained The UWI’s intermediate, second division and over-40s teams over a span of 26 years. His most recent club stint has been with Benfica where he played with the side in the 2 nd division league for the last five years. Also, he represented the Barbados National Cricket Team in softball cricket from 1993 to 2007. In 2022, Drakes played on the West Indies Over-50s team in the Big Man Cricket Caribbean Cup against England, UAE, USA, and India. The talent and skill of this world-class cricketer have not gone unnoticed. Chairman of the Cricket West Indies Masters Association , Rajendra Singh , expressed his support of the athlete as he aspires to the next level in the sport. “Mr. Drakes is a household name in Barbados, having represented The UWI for several years and now has a glorious opportunity to showcase his talent and skills on the world stage,” Singh said. The cricketer’s quest to reach the world stage is largely supported by The UWI (Cave Hill) Co-operative Credit Union Ltd to whom Drakes expressed gratitude for partnering with him to reach his goal. “I am very grateful to the credit union and all those who have contributed to my journey to South Africa. Without this support, the achievement would not be possible.” Drakes intends to continue his cricketing career at both the local and international level returning to both Benfica and the Cave Hill Blackbirds Over-40s team. He hopes to continue to be an inspiration to aspiring athletes. l
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Ian Drakes
port is ingrained in me from childhood to my older years, and I have always sought to make my contribution to mentoring the next generation
“No matter what level you’re currently playing at, reaching the top of your game is still the goal. You are never too old or too young to chase your dreams. Keep going, keep pushing”. These are words of encouragement from UWI Blackbird cricketer Ian Drakes , an avid sport enthusiast from young who has always sought to encourage others like himself. Blackbird Seeks to Make Mark on World Stage by Camille Russell
of young sportsmen and women throughout the years.” Drakes believes that with most things in life, there is always room for improvement whether as an opportunity to be better or to do better. With this frame of thinking, the bowling all-rounder is gearing up to represent the region on the world stage having been selected by the Cricket West Indies Masters Association to join the squad to South Africa for the 2023 Over-50s Cricket World Cup . The prestigious event will be held in Cape Town, South Africa in March 2023 and will feature 14 international teams including Australia, Canada, England, India, Namibia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, United States of America (USA), United Arab Emirates (UAE), Wales, and Zimbabwe. “This is an excellent opportunity for me, one that I believe is once-in-a- lifetime, not only to represent the region
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