‘West Indies Players Continue to Win Hearts of Special Fans’

Chris Gayle Cradles a Young Babe at the Cotton – Thomas Comprehensive School

ST. KITTS (JUNE 18th, 2010) – The West Indies team may not have been winning on the field of play against South African in the Digicel Series but they have been winning the hearts of some of their most passionate and committed fans across the region and on Thursday afternoon they added several hundred to the list in St Kitts.

Near chaos almost broke out among students as Captain, Chris Gayle, and two of his teammates visited the Cotton-Thomas Comprehensive School in St Kitts following their practice session.

The special needs students were in jubilant mood as they eagerly greeted, shook hands, hi-fived, hugged, took photos and secured autographs from the players who visited the school on the eve of the Second Digicel Test starting on Friday at Warner Park. Fast bowlers, Ravi Rampaul and Nelon Pascal, joined Gayle for the Digicel-organized visit which is the penultimate of similar visits across the region.

Chris Gayle Presents a Small Token of an Autographed Bat to the Cotton-Thomas Comprehensive School to Commemorate the visit

Even the staff members were caught up in the excitement the visit created.

“It makes the students and all of us feel so special and excited to have the Captain of the West Indies cricket team, Chris Gayle, and some of his teammates visit us here at the school,” said teacher Charmaine Blanchette.

“We are all very excited to have them here; to meet them in person; and interact with them and show them a little of what we do here for the children who have a few more needs than the average children,”

Blanchette added.

“For many of these young people, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity and it will serve as an inspiration and a motivation for them in life. We thank the players for coming,” Blanchette said.

West Indies Captain Chris Gayle is Mobbed by Students

The 1998-constructed Cotton-Thomas Comprehensive School was named after veteran Kittitian special needs educators, Clarice Cotton and Annette Johnson-Thomas.

The players visited similar institutions in Guyana, St Vincent, Antigua, Dominica and Trinidad. The final visit of the Digicel Series 2010 will be in Barbados ahead of the Third Digicel Test.