BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – In a decisive show of confidence, attorney-at-law Calvin Hope was elected the 12th president of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) on Tuesday night, securing a landslide victory at Kensington Oval.
The 68-year-old outgoing vice-president, who has spent nearly three decades in BCA administration, garnered 158 votes—comfortably ahead of former chairman of selectors Henderson Broomes (68 votes), ex-West Indies opener Philo Wallace (57), and former BCA vice-president Jeff Broomes (13).
Hope succeeds Condé Riley, who has led the association since 2017, and will serve a two-year term from 2025 to 2027.
Other election results saw attorney-at-law Gregory Nicholls returned as secretary with 157 votes to Joy-Ann Jones’s 125, while Carlos Brathwaite (185), Henderson Wallace (142), and Winston Haynes (119) secured positions on the board of directors.
A journey to the top
Hope’s rise is the culmination of a 28-year journey in cricket administration, beginning with his appointment as a BCA director in 1997. He has challenged for the presidency three times before—falling short against Riley in 2023 and losing earlier races to Joel “Big Bird” Garner in 2007 and 2011.
In his victory speech, Hope expressed both gratitude and resolve.
“I am elated, but also humbled to be given the opportunity to serve in this capacity. It is indeed an honour. There is a lot to be done, and I do pledge to the members that I will do my best and pull the board together in unity.”
Strategic reset and commercial vision
The new president said his immediate priority is unity—a theme he stressed repeatedly—alongside modernizing operations and strengthening the association’s financial base.
“We need to do some resetting, but we have to work on the strategic plan for our cricket. We would review the secretariat, making it more responsive. We have to look at the commercial framework—how do we set up a commercial framework to fund cricket in Barbados in a very substantial way and for years to come.”
Bridging the development gap
Hope identified a troubling gap in opportunities for players transitioning from the under-19 level to the senior Barbados team. His plan includes more overseas tours, additional fixtures outside traditional schedules, and intensified training and coaching programs.
“We want to provide opportunities for the youth to continue playing more competitive cricket, and most of all, to up the ante for the training and motivation of these players.”
He also intends to draw on the expertise of Barbados cricket legends, naming The Most Honourable Desmond Haynes and Joel Garner as resources the BCA will tap into.
A place for women’s cricket
Hope emphasized that the women’s game will remain “very high on the agenda.”
“We also need to get a formal set-up in the school system for the female side of our cricket. That is a priority.”
Stepping onto the regional stage
As BCA president, Hope will automatically take a seat on the Cricket West Indies (CWI) board under President Kishore Shallow. However, he declined to comment on CWI’s high-level emergency summit held August 10–11 in Trinidad and Tobago, saying he had been fully focused on his election campaign.
Following in historic footsteps
Hope joins an illustrious list of past BCA presidents, from Lt Colonel William Bowring (1932–1943) to his immediate predecessor Condé Riley (2017–2025), inheriting the legacy and challenges of leading Barbados cricket into a new era.
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