The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) generated a total economic impact of US$40,446,754 for Barbados during the 2023 tournament.
2023 was the first time that the CPL had returned to Barbados since 2019 and the first time the country had hosted WCPL matches.
There were six men’s matches and three Women’s matches played in Barbados between 30 August and 3 September with the games taking place at the world-famous Kensington Oval.
The total event impact is calculated by world renowned research organisation, YouGov Sport with the final figure being based on a number of key metrics, including organizer and visitor spends on Island media as well as the commercial value generated from the extensive global TV distribution.
One of main contributing elements was the CPL cohort, who were responsible for filling 10,951 hotel room nights in Barbados, made up by CPL’s players, coaches, administrators, TV and media crews, team owner groups, league and franchise event management teams. Other visitor groups associated to the tournament also made a significant contribution to on Island spending during the tournament.
Barbados also benefited from the tournament being broadcast around the world with CPL’s audience reaching 853.5million total viewers in 2023. As always, the tournament worked closely with BTMI to create world class content which promoted Barbados as the unique holiday destination we all know it to be. These exclusive features and vignettes were shown during the CPL matches, further promoting the tourism message.
Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL’s CEO, said: “It was fantastic to be back in Barbados after four years away and the atmosphere at Kensington Oval was brilliant, highlighting the local and international appetite for CPL cricket. These results are great news for Barbados and we are looking forward to making an even bigger impact in 2024.”
Graham Clarke, Director Caribbean for Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, said: “It is great to see the iconic Kensington Oval - the cricketing mecca of the Caribbean - hosting CPL matches again, after a brief hiatus during and immediately after the Covid 19 Pandemic. Cricket is much more than a game, it is an economy. For every dollar of revenue earned through the purchase of Bajan goods and services by visitors to our island during the week of CPL, there is a direct and multiplier effect on the people and economy of Barbados.”
Ben Stokes has ruled himself out of selection for England’s T20 World Cup title defence as he prioritises being a fully-fledged all-rounder in the Test side this summer.
When put on the spot last month about whether he would be on hand for the tournament in the Caribbean and United States in June, England’s Test captain admitted he had “not even thought about that but I’m available”.
It is understood he has had no setback after briefly returning to bowling last month during England’s Test tour of India and there is no lingering discomfort in his left knee after surgery in November.
However, Stokes is intent on playing a full role with bat and ball in England’s six Tests this summer, the first of which starts on July 10, less than two weeks after the T20 World Cup final.
A busy summer schedule has led to Stokes following up his withdrawal from the Indian Premier League with pulling out of the T20 World Cup in a major blow for white-ball skipper Jos Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott.
“I’m working hard and focusing on building my bowling fitness back up to fulfil a full role as an all-rounder in all formats of cricket,” he said.
“Opting out of the IPL and the World Cup will hopefully be a sacrifice that allows me to be the all-rounder I want to be for the foreseeable future.
“The recent Test tour of India highlighted how far behind I was from a bowling point of view after my knee surgery and nine months without bowling. I’m looking forward to playing for Durham in the County Championship before the start of our Test summer.
“I wish Jos, Motty and all the team the best of luck in defending our title.”
The Lucknow Super Giants recorded their first win of the 2024 Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) season with a 21-run victory over the Punjab Kings in Lucknow on Saturday.
The hosts first posted 199-8 from their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Quinton de Kock was the main scorer for the Super Giants with a 38-ball 54 at the top of the innings.
Nicholas Pooran, who captained the team in this game, hit three fours and three sixes on his way to 42 off just 21 balls while Krunal Pandya finished 43* off 22 balls including four fours and two sixes.
Sam Curran took 3-28 from his four overs for the Kings.
Punjab were then restricted to 178-5 from 20 overs in their reply despite a 50-ball 70 from Shikhar Dhawan and 42 from his opening partner, Jonny Bairstow.
Liam Livingstone also made 28* for the Kings as debutant Mayank Yadav ripped through the batting order with his impressive quick bowling on the way to figures of 3-27 from his four overs.
Mohsin Khan provided good support for Yadav with 2-34 from his four overs.
Full Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 199-8 from 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 54, Krunal Pandya 43*, Nicholas Pooran 42, Sam Curran 3-28, Arshdeep Singh 2-30)
Punjab Kings 178-5 from 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 70, Jonny Bairstow 42, Liam Livingstone 28*, Mayank Yadav 3-27, Mohsin Khan 2-34)
Ben Foakes will not lose sleep over whether he features in England’s Test plans for this summer.
The Surrey wicketkeeper was back in the England XI for the winter tour of India and once again impressed with his skills behind the stumps, but failed to register a fifty in 10 innings during the 4-1 loss.
Foakes has been in and out of the team since his 2018 Test debut and missed last year’s Ashes after Jonny Bairstow was given keeping duties.
The wicketkeeper berth is seemingly up for grabs ahead of home series with the West Indies and Sri Lanka this summer, but Foakes, who scored 205 runs at an average of 20.5 in India, is relaxed about his position.
“I haven’t been told anything,” Foakes said.
“Obviously the more years I’ve got into my career, the more I’ve been in and out, I’ve almost come to an acceptance that it has been the case and not try to worry about it or stress too much about getting a long run or external stuff.
“India, first and foremost, I took as just trying to really enjoy it. I think the more times you get dropped, the more times you realise you don’t know how long you’ve got left or whatever it might be.
“So while you’re out there, rather than stress too much about the game or this might be my last chance, just enjoy the fact you are playing and you don’t know how long for essentially.”
The series started with a high for Foakes, who shared a crucial 112-run partnership with Ollie Pope in England’s remarkable first Test win in Hyderabad.
A number of other starts with the bat were made by the 31-year-old, but he often batted with the tail and expressed his disappointment after failing to “kick on” during his 47 in Ranchi.
Foakes added: “I felt like I kept pretty well, keeping felt good. To start off, I didn’t feel amazing with the bat and then, yeah, disappointed in a couple of innings that I didn’t kick on.
“Again, that role of batting lower down, batting with the tail, the more I do it, the more I look at it as how many times can I impact?
“Because some series you might not get an opportunity to go big, big for example, so it is very crucial when you do get a chance to try and really kick on, which I was disappointed in the fourth Test where I could have kicked on and didn’t.
“(I’m) still evolving and trying to learn with the tail and how to manage those sort of situations.”
While Foakes bats at seven for England, he has gained the majority of his success for Surrey as one of their top-five batters, which has contributed towards a first-class average of 38.52.
Foakes will aim to be back in the runs next week when Surrey begin their Vitality County Championship title defence with a trip to Lancashire, but he acknowledged the uncertainty over his England place provides one dilemma.
“Every summer in the past, I’ve not known whether I will play so I’ve played every (Surrey) game,” Foakes said.
“I did look at the Test schedule and there would be the chance to play 28 Tests and Champo (games) if I did play from the start of India until the end of New Zealand, obviously depending on selection.
“If that was the case and I did play, that is quite a lot of cricket so there would be potential to have a rest, but again it depends on what they’re looking at. Whether I am likely to play or not and then reassess.”
The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s Selection Panel has announced the 15-member squad for the tour to Pakistan in April-May. The eight-match Series comprises three (5) T20 Internationals (T20Is) and three (3) One Day Internationals (ODIs).
Kate Wilmott was rewarded with a call-up to the senior team for the first time, having displayed commendable performances with her right-arm medium pace during the recently concluded CG United Women’s Super50 Cup and T20 Blaze tournaments.
Qiana Joseph and Chedean Nation, who also had credible performances were recalled to the team, having missed out on the last tour to Australia in 2023.
Lead Selector for Women’s cricket Ann Browne-John said “The upcoming series against is extremely important for the team as they return to international competition after almost six months, the last series being against Australia. Apart from the three ODI, the team will get some much-needed T20 matches as they prepare to participate in the T20 World Cup later this year.”
Browne-John added, “The return of experienced player Chedean Nation will strengthen the batting and 19-year-old Fast Bowler Kate Wilmott will be making her debut. The players have just completed the regional tournament where some of the experienced players had encouraging performances, and it is hoped this will continue into the Pakistan series.”
Following the ODI Series, a gripping five-match T20I series will unfold from 26 April to 3 May. This T20I series will not only offer thrilling cricket action for fans but will provide important competitive cricket for both teams to fine-tune their skills and strategies ahead of the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup, which is due to take place after the Women’s CPL in Bangladesh in September.
The West Indies Women will assemble in Dubai from 6 April for a one-week training camp as part of their preparations for the upcoming Pakistan tour.
Full Squad
West Indies Women Tour to Pakistan Schedule
All matches to be played at National Bank Stadium (NBS), Karachi
6-14 April – Pre-Tour Preparation Training Camp, Dubai
14 April - West Indies Women arrive in Karachi
18 April - 1st ODI, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)
21 April - 2nd ODI, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)
23 April - 3rd ODI, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)
26 April - 1st T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi
28 April - 2nd T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi
30 April - 3rd T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi
2 May - 4th T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi
3 May - 5th T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi
West Indies cricket stalwart Jason Holder is set to bring his wealth of experience and formidable skill set to Worcestershire County Cricket Club, bolstering their lineup for the opening five matches of the season in the Vitality County Championship.
The 32-year-old, a former top-ranked all-rounder in ICC Test rankings and Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2021, will join Worcestershire in time for their clash against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, commencing on Friday, April 5.
Holder's signing marks a significant addition to Worcestershire's squad as they prepare to make their mark in Division One action. His impressive track record in international cricket, coupled with his versatility as an all-rounder, makes him a valuable asset for the team.
Renowned for his leadership on and off the field, Holder has captained the West Indies in over 100 internationals across all formats. His stellar performances, including a memorable double century against England in 2019, underscore his ability to make a significant impact in crucial encounters.
Speaking on his signing with Worcestershire, Holder expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity to contribute to the team's success. "I always enjoy my time in England, and I'm looking forward to helping Worcestershire get off to a good start in Division One," he remarked.
Holder's presence is expected to provide a significant boost to Worcestershire's campaign, both in terms of performance and morale. Worcestershire CEO Ashley Giles expressed his delight at securing Holder's services, emphasizing the positive impact he will have on the team.
"When someone of Jason’s experience and quality becomes available, even for a short window, we just had to jump at it," said Giles. "We know on the field as a cricketer he is a world-class all-rounder but off the field a world-class individual as well."
With Holder's signing, Worcestershire aims to lay a strong foundation for the season ahead, knowing that his presence in the lineup will provide a significant advantage. As they embark on their Division One journey, Worcestershire looks to capitalize on Holder's talent and leadership to achieve their goals on the field.
Sunil Narine produced a man of the match performance in his 500th T20 game to lead the Kolkata Knight Riders to a seven-wicket win over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Tata Indian Premier League at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday.
The hosts won the toss and posted a formidable 182-6 from their 20 overs thanks to 83* from Virat Kohli and 33 from Cameron Green.
Andre Russell was the pick of the KKR bowlers with 2-29 from his four overs while Harshit Rana took 2-39 and Narine took 1-40.
The Knight Riders then sprinted to their target, reaching 186-3 with 19 balls to spare.
Venkatesh Iyer led the way with a 30-ball 50 including three fours and four sixes while Narine, who opened the batting, set the tone for the innings with 47 off just 22 balls including two fours and five sixes.
Kolkata Knight Riders 186 for 3 (Venkatesh Iyer 50, Sunil Narine 47) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru 182 for 6 (Virat Kohli 83*, Andre Russell 2-29, Rana 2-39) by seven wickets
Rehan Ahmed is relaxed about his potential opportunities over the coming months after enjoying every minute of England duty this winter.
Leicestershire leg-spinner Ahmed became the country’s youngest ever men’s Test player in 2022 when he claimed a five-wicket haul on debut against Pakistan in Karachi, but had to wait a further 14 months for another shot at red-ball cricket for England.
The teenager relished the prospect of doing battle with India and picked up 11 wickets across three Tests.
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Ahmed, 19, is refreshed and ready to go again but has not set himself any major summer targets despite a T20 World Cup being on the horizon along with home Test series against West Indies and Pakistan.
“I’m not really fussed about what I’m trying to achieve this year,” Ahmed insisted when asked about the prospect of a home Test debut this summer.
“I’ve tried to do as much as I can within myself. So, whether that’s me getting my overs in, me getting as many runs as I can, because I love my batting and I’ve underperformed; I want to bat better.
“There’s a couple of things I really want to work on and if that takes me there, that takes me there.
“And if it doesn’t, and the balance of the teams is not right and whatnot, there are loads of things to take into account.
“I’ll be playing county cricket straight away. Leicester comes first when I’m not playing for England. I didn’t know if I wanted to play because I wanted a break, but I’ve had two weeks off and I just want to play again.”
Ahmed was part of a novice three-man spin-attack alongside Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir that flourished at times in India, but there are concerns over the number of overs the trio will get during the opening months of the domestic season.
However, the 19-year-old is not about to make any outlandish demands to his Leicestershire coaches over his bowling or batting role in a team-comes-first mentality that clearly owes much to Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
He added: “It’s not a case where I come in and bat where I want.
“Obviously I’ve not been here all winter. The lads have been working hard so they deserve it first, so if I make the team and I play, then hopefully I’ll get a bat.
“Bowling in matches is something I’ve lacked a bit. I’ve bowled a lot in white-ball, not heaps of overs in red-ball plus it’s April, going to be nipping round corners.
“I don’t expect to bowl loads of overs because if the seamers are getting wickets, they are getting wickets and the team comes first, but I’ll be bowling loads in training.”
Ahmed is also sure to be bouncing ideas off new buddy Bashir, who may struggle for overs at Somerset, after the pair struck up a close bond during the India tour.
“Bash was unbelievable to be with. He made the made the trip so (much) fun for me,” Ahmed revealed.
“And his confidence was different level and that’s something I love to see because that’s exactly like how I was as well, we just kept bouncing off each other. It was great.
“I think the way Bash came into the game. Even with Harts coming in, the way I came in, it gives hope for everyone else as well.
“It doesn’t mean you have to bowl a load of overs in the champo and focus on swing and seam. You just need to be different and be committed to it.”
Zak Crawley insists England will not adopt a “negative” approach after their recent 4-1 series defeat in India but acknowledged they must learn when to absorb pressure.
India inflicted the first series loss of the Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum era after they stormed back from going one down in Hyderabad to win the last four Tests in comprehensive fashion.
It sparked debate over England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ style following a string of batting collapses and head coach McCullum accepted they had to refine their style moving forward.
Crawley said: “We always talk about absorbing pressure and putting pressure back on.
“The last couple of years we’ve done the putting pressure back on pretty well and we’ve spoken about maybe picking those moments to absorb at the right times as well. We can certainly refine that.
“That’s not to say we’re going to get more negative. We will still try to play the way we have and try to score quickly but yeah, picking those moments where they’re on top and we need to absorb.
“Or even the other way where they’re on top and you feel like you need to put it back on. It is just getting it right.
“(Stokes) spoke about it after the series where we need a little bit of refinement. It is not big changes.
“We just need to make sure we stay positive and don’t let a tough result get in the way of what we’re done really well over the last couple of years.”
England’s strategy of moving the game forward quickly with higher run-rates and early declarations took the cricket world by storm as they won 10 of their first 11 Tests under Stokes and McCullum.
However, seven defeats have followed from the next 12 matches and a lack of a ruthless streak has cost England at times.
After England posted a first innings total of 353 in the fourth Test in Ranchi, they reduced India to 177 for seven but let the hosts off the hook and, instead of setting up a series decider, they crumbled to a crushing five-wicket defeat.
“We genuinely believed in ourselves and thought we could win the series,” Crawley, speaking at a sponsors event for Swiss watch brand Rado, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s official timing partner, admitted.
“We should have won in Ranchi, I think, to make it 2-2 and then you never know how the last one goes.
“When the series goes like that, it is always hard to wrestle the momentum back but we were in the series massively and we always believed.
“We certainly weren’t in the games when I was in India last time (in 2021), so we gave ourselves a good chance and we weren’t quite clinical enough like they were.
“Over five days, their skills are always going to come out and they are a phenomenal team. It was a really enjoyable tour though, we gave it a good crack and there is a lot to learn from.”
A beacon of light again for England was Crawley, who for the second series in a row led the scoring charts for his team.
The Kent batter was notably labelled as a player whose “skillset is not to be a consistent cricketer” by McCullum in 2022.
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A string of low scores increased the external noise around his position prior to last summer’s Ashes but the 26-year-old always retained the faith of England’s key decision-makers.
Now, 12 months on, Crawley has hit seven 50+ scores and averaged 46.7 against the two best attacks in the world, which included a sensational 189 at Old Trafford last July.
“I feel in a lot better place than I was,” Crawley added.
“I’m not trying to put too much pressure on any games to be honest. When I am playing for England or for Kent, I just try and turn up with the same process.
“I am trying to embrace failure more and accepting it is part of the game and sticking with what I do well.”
Cricket West Indies (CWI) is set to unveil its new four-year strategic plan for 2024-2027, titled "The Long Run". Recently presented to the Board of Directors during a board meeting in Antigua and discussed with shareholders at the Annual General Meeting, this strategic blueprint marks a pivotal juncture for the organization and West Indies cricket.
Reflecting on 2023 as a year of recovery and describing it as crucial in laying the groundwork for this ambitious plan, CWI Chief Executive Officer, Johnny Grave, provided insight stating, "We are excited to present “The Long Run”, our strategic roadmap for the next four years. This plan sets a clear and ambitious path for CWI, focusing on strengthening our cricket system at all levels and maximizing our commercial value on the foundation of stable finances."
Grave underscored the importance of stakeholder involvement in shaping the organization's future direction. "Having presented the strategic plan to our Board of Directors and shareholders, we are now preparing to circulate it for wider discourse. It is essential that our stakeholders not only understand but also actively engage with the strategic plan as we move forward into another four-year cycle."
“The Long Run” will outline key objectives and initiatives aimed at fostering growth, sustainability, and excellence in cricket. It will encompass measures to enhance governance, player development, grassroots programs, fan engagement, and commercial partnerships, aligning with CWI's overarching vision to elevate West Indies cricket in the region and on the global stage.
The strategic plan, developed internally, represents a collaborative effort by the CWI management team. It includes extensive consultations and valuable insights from staff and players. Business Planning Manager Lynford Inverary led the process, with input from the wider cricket stakeholders’ group.
The Long Run – a strategic plan for elevating West Indies Cricket 2024-27
Six Strategic Pillars:
· Cricket:
-Elite & High-Performance
-Cricket Development & Participation
-Facilities & Infrastructure
·Finance & Fans:
-Commercial & Financial
-Fan Engagement & Global Visibility
·Structure:
-Governance
The men and women who will be responsible for the preparations of the pitches and fields for the upcoming ICC Men’s Twenty20 (T20) World Cup, are now well equipped with the tool of the trade. Following a two-week series of workshops, the ground staff across the region went through theory and practical sessions geared towards education and re-education on the rudiment of their crucial roles.
Over 100 participants completed the workshop series, which included both indoor educational sessions and outdoor practical events. The events were led by senior officials of Cricket West Indies (CWI).
Winston Reid, the Lead Curator for the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), lauded the initiative, which he hopes will continue beyond the World Cup.
Reid, who is based at Kensington Oval in Barbados, the venue that will host the June 29 World Cup final, had a hugely successful cricket career when he played over 100 matches at the regional level for Barbados. He joined the staff at the historic venue in 2005, ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2007.
“This was a very good initiative by the ICC [International Cricket Council], CWI [Cricket West Indies] and the BCA [Barbados Cricket Association]. This is something that should be encouraged, and I know the staff here benefited tremendously. It was a wonderful eye-opener, an education in many ways it was enlightening and interactive and the responses I got from the others who participated, said to me it was clear they too benefitted in a meaningful way,” Reid said.
“The reason behind the workshop was to improve in every way we can and to do better at our jobs. We are gearing up towards the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be the biggest event we have ever hosted. We will be staging the final here, at this magnificent venue, so we want to make sure everyone is fully equipped.
“Not only for Kensington, but for curatorship at all the other venues around the island and the region. We want to see better pitches and fields and playing conditions for our players to show their skills and also to entertain the fans in the stands. So, this was a very timely workshop series which augurs well for the game in the West Indies going forward," he added.
Roland Holder, CWI Manager of Cricket Operations and Head of Cricket for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, outlined the reasons behind the series of workshops. He said the series was crafted by CWI and designed to upskill existing curators across the region by exposing them to international best practices for pitch preparation and applicable maintenance, while simultaneously expanding the cadre of curators by identifying new talent with the appropriate combination of theoretical knowledge and practical exposure, to lend further expertise to match venues to deliver a world-class event in June.
A CWI Curators Manual was also produced in the lead up to the workshop and will be disseminated to the curators.
Six countries in the West Indies will host matches in the ninth edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup which will be played from June 1-29. West Indies, which hosted the event in 2010, will hold matches at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua; Kensington Oval, Barbados; Guyana National Stadium, Guyana; Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia; Arnos Vale, St Vincent and Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago.
The event will be the largest in the tournament’s history with 20 international teams playing 55 matches across nine locations. It is the first time USA will host matches at a T20 World Cup, with 16 first-round matches split between Nassau County International Cricket Stadium (New York), Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium (Dallas), and Broward County Stadium (Lauderhill).
Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were all given lengthy bans for their part in Australia’s ball-tampering scandal six years ago.
Captain Smith and vice-captain Warner were both handed 12-month suspensions while Bancroft, the batsman who was caught on camera attempting to change the condition of the ball using sandpaper during the third Test against South Africa, was banned for nine months.
Cricket Australia chairman David Peever said: “The CA board understands and shares the anger of fans and the broader Australian community about these events.
“They go to the integrity and reputation of Australian Cricket and Australian sport and the penalties must reflect that.
“These are significant penalties for professional players and the board does not impose them lightly. It is hoped that following a period of suspension, the players will be able to return to playing the game they love and eventually rebuild their careers.”
Smith and Bancroft gave a press conference after the third day’s play where they admitted a premeditated attempt to tamper with the ball.
Smith spoke of a “leadership group” making the decision to tamper with the ball and, in announcing the severe punishments, CA revealed Warner, 31, was charged with devising the plan, instructing a junior player – Bancroft – to carry it out and demonstrating how to do it.
Smith gave a tearful press conference on his return to Australia, saying: “I know I’ll regret this for the rest of my life, I’m absolutely gutted. I hope in time I can earn back respect and forgiveness.
“I’ve been so privileged and honoured to represent my country and captain Australia. Cricket is the greatest game in the world and it’s been my life – I hope it can be again. I’m absolutely devastated.”
Smith and Warner both returned to the Australia side at the Cricket World Cup in 2019, with the former made vice-captain of the Test side in 2021, while Bancroft played for his country again in the Ashes series the same summer.
Surrey are determined to give departing director of cricket Alec Stewart a successful send-off.
It was announced last week that Stewart would step down from his role at the end of 2024 after a decade in the post.
Stewart, 60, has overseen the development of several England internationals, alongside guiding Surrey to three County Championship titles, and a number of key figures in the team are eager to help him sign off with more silverware.
Red-ball captain Rory Burns said: “It can be an emotional driver if that is the way you are inclined.
“The way we try to operate, we look at what our process is and what we want to do day to day. It would be nice to send the gaffer out with another Championship win, but we’ve got a lot of hard work to do before that.”
England batter Ollie Pope missed the meeting at Kia Oval where Stewart, in typically modest fashion, told the group of his decision in a brief manner before he turned the focus on to trying to produce another successful campaign.
Former England wicketkeeper Stewart, who has helped care for his wife through her cancer battle since 2013, played a key role in Pope’s journey from Surrey academy graduate to vice-captain of the Test team.
“I sadly missed a meeting when he announced it to the boys, but I had a phone call with him straight after and, yeah, I felt gutted,” Pope admitted.
“I can’t imagine a club where you don’t see Stewie in every morning. I think he’s in at 6am every day on the rowing machine or on the treadmill or doing some weights, but that’s because he loves the club and loves being here.
“And he’s also ridiculous at his job as well. The way he sort of makes you feel like you’ve got a personal relationship, but he’s also got the job to give you your contracts or release you.
“I’ve got a great picture of him giving me my Surrey under-eight player-of-the-year award, which is one I’ll always have. He presented me with my England cap, again the video and the pics of that are seriously special.
“Every player in the club and every member of the coaching staff feels like they’ve just got so much to owe him because whether he sees the talent in you or sees the good person in you, he sort of brings it out.
“So he’s going to be a massive, massive loss for the club. It’s going to be sad when he leaves, but hopefully we can win a couple of trophies for him this year to give him a good send off.”
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Stewart brought Ben Foakes to the club from Essex in 2015.
Foakes added: “I was trying to think the other day if there is anyone that has done more for English cricket after their playing career and I couldn’t think of anyone.
“He is going to obviously be massively missed.
“It will be a huge blow for us, but he has earned his break and to switch off a bit.
“The amount he has given to the group and the club as a whole, it would be the icing on the cake and good to send him off with one (trophy).”
Maia Bouchier defied injury to hit 91 as England Women outpowered New Zealand to win the fourth T20 international in Wellington by 47 runs and clinch the series.
Bouchier’s 91 off 56 balls, her second successive half-century, helped England to 177 for three, Charlie Dean taking four wickets as New Zealand were restricted to 130 for seven.
England lost Danni Wyatt, back in the side after playing in the Women’s IPL, early but Alice Capsey and Bouchier – hampered by a quad injury – added 75 in 10 overs.
Captain Heather Knight (21 not out) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (29 not out) smashed 35 off the final 14 balls to set the hosts a daunting target.
That target was made more daunting without captain Suzie Bates, injured in the field, and England struck at regular intervals.
Dean grabbed four for 26, and Brooke Holliday was at the top scoring, with 25 for the hosts.
The win gives England an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, which concludes in Wellington on Friday.
In a pivotal moment at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Cricket West Indies (CWI) held in Antigua on Saturday 23 March 2023, President Dr. Kishore Shallow tabled a series of resolutions aimed at implementing governance reforms recommended by the Wehby Report. However, despite extensive consultations and deliberations, some of the resolutions failed to secure the absolute majority threshold required for passage.
President Shallow expressed optimism despite the setback, stating,
"While it is disappointing that some resolutions did not find favor with majority on this occasion, I remain committed to ensuring that CWI governance structure is always at its most robust. We will return to consultation with our shareholders to sensitize and advocate further for adopting modern corporate best practices."
The resolutions tabled were derived from the Wehby Report, a comprehensive document that followed a period of significant consultations within the cricketing community. President Shallow emphasized the importance of these reforms in advancing the integrity and effectiveness of CWI.
"We have engaged in thorough consultations and discussions to formulate these resolutions, all to strengthen the governance structure of CWI," remarked President Shallow. "It is imperative that we continue our efforts to enact these reforms for the betterment of West Indies cricket."
President Shallow affirmed his resolve to fostering positive change within CWI. He echoed,
"Our effort toward improvement on all fronts continues unabated. We will engage rigorously with our stakeholders, leveraging their insights and expertise to navigate this intricate process while re-examining CWI’s governance structure."
The AGM attained a full quorum with shareholders present from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, and Windward Islands.
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