Austin Richards Sr is the new co-ordinator of inter-schools cricket. The official appointment came at the launch of the 2011 United Insurance Schools Cricket competition at the Ministry Headquarters on Friday, March 4.
Richards became the third inter-schools cricket co-ordinator joining the footsteps of Rolston Otto, the former national and Leewards middle-order batsman, and the late Hayden “Charlo” Walsh, also a former national and Leewards left-handed opening batsman.
In accepting the appointment, Richards said he is grateful to the sports minister, Winston Williams, planning co-ordinator in the Ministry Ann Jonas and some of the hard working coaches including Winston Benjamin, Ridley Jacobs, Pernell “Roxy” Joseph and Pernell Wattley who were always advocating for him to be the co-ordinator.
Richards noted that the appointment came as no surprise to him and pledged to work with the coaches as one unit in making decisions.
He, however, noted that one of his main objectives is to bring back Primary School Cricket.
The 39-year veteran in the government service, 24 of which were spent in the sports department, is presently the senior Sports Officer in the Ministry of Sports and has worked in every sporting discipline in the ministry as a statistician, and a fixture and schedule planner/co-ordinator.
Richards also acted as head of the Sports Division on two occasions in the absence of former director Patrick Whyte and then assistant director Mervyn Richards (present director), and present assistant director Evan “Jawakie” Jones.
The ministry has not had a co-ordinator of inter-schools cricket for some three years now.
OBSERVER Sports and indeed the entire Sports Ministry wish him all the best in his new role.
