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Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Sports, Daryll Matthew, has confirmed that former West Indies cricket captain Sir Richie Richardson will be appointed Junior Minister in the Ministry of Sports.
The move, aimed at strengthening the development of sports at both community and elite levels, marks a significant development in the ministry’s efforts to develop future sports talent.
While Sir Rich’s appointment as a senator has not yet been confirmed, this new role within the ministry is designed to capitalise on his experience and status as a high-profile sportsman.
“Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and welcome Sir Richie as Deputy Minister for Sport,” Minister Matthew told The Observer. “The Government has decided after days of consultation to hire someone of Sir Richie’s calibre to help us grow sport and games, particularly at community level, while also ensuring we find an accomplished athlete with the gravitas and character to support the Ministry of Sport in continuing to develop young athletes with the goal of producing world-class elite athletes.”
Specific duties have not yet been fully disclosed
Sir Ritchie was a leading figure in cricket at the time, scoring 5,949 runs in 86 Test matches and 6,248 runs in 226 One-Day Internationals. Sir Ritchie succeeded Sir Vivian Richards as captain in 1991 and was known for his outstanding performances, scoring 16 Test centuries, nine of which came against Australia. His highest score was 194 against India in Guyana in 1989. Sir Ritchie could not be reached for comment on his new appointment.
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While the details of Sir Rich’s exact role have not yet been fully revealed, Minister Matthew stressed the importance of re-engaging community sports clubs and strengthening the relationship between school and community sports programs. “One of the areas we would like Sir Rich to work with us on is re-engaging sports clubs within the community and looking at how we can create a symbiotic relationship between school programs and community sports and games programs,” Matthew said. “Given everything that’s happening with young people in our society, we need to find more outlets for them, but this has to be done in a more structured way.”
Sir Ritchie remains a highly respected figure in Antigua, having been knighted, one of four former international cricketers to receive the honour on the island. In 2015, he was appointed to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) elite panel of match referees, further cementing his reputation in the sport.
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