Scott Edwards has stepped down as captain of the Netherlands men's cricket team after a four-year tenure that included memorable victories at the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Bas de Leede succeeds Edwards as the new captain of the Netherlands men's team. The 26-year-old pace-bowling all-rounder takes over with immediate effect as the team continues its remaining League 2 commitments.
Edwards led the team through 56 ODIs, including the famous upsets of South Africa and Bangladesh at the 2023 World Cup. He first took the reins during England's tour of the Netherlands in June 2022, stepping in for Pieter Seelaar after the opening ODI of that series.
The Dutch side won 24 of the 56 matches Edwards led, against 29 defeats. His leadership record in T20Is was equally eventful, having captained in 50 of his 86 appearances in the format.
Edwards has bowed out as captain, closing a leadership stint that spanned 56 one-day internationals since June 2022. He announced his decision in a video released by the KNCB, thanking his teammates for their efforts over the past four years.
Bas de Leede has now passed the captaincy to 26-year-old pace-bowling all-rounder Bas de Leede. De Leede responded by thanking Edwards for the faith he had shown in the players throughout his tenure, saying that Edwards' clarity in communicating the game plan, match after match, helped build self-belief among the squad.
The de Leede surname now carries extra weight in Dutch cricket, with Babette de Leede continuing the family's sporting legacy. Her uncle Tim de Leede and cousin Bas both represented the men's team at World Cups, and she herself was appointed to lead the women's team at the T20 World Cup, a role she continues to hold.
On the field, the Netherlands currently occupy second place in the CWC League 2 standings, trailing the USA, with the top four teams at the tournament's conclusion set to advance to the World Cup qualifiers. The Dutch side's final block of matches in the competition comes later this year against Oman and the UAE.
The Netherlands will be looking to Bas de Leede to lead them through the remaining League 2 commitments, with the team still fighting for World Cup qualification.
Source: Yahoo Sports