Scott Edwards Steps Down as Netherlands Captain

Scott Edwards has stepped down as Netherlands’ ODI captain, with the KNCB (Royal Dutch Cricket Association) confirming the decision through a video shared on social media on July 31 after the Utrecht leg of the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2. Bas de Leede will now take over the role for the rest of the tournament.

The 29-year-old became ODI captain in June 2022 following the opening match of England’s tour of the Netherlands, taking over from Pieter Seelaar. He captained the side in 56 ODIs, recording 24 wins and 29 defeats. Edwards informed his teammates of the decision after the Utrecht fixtures came to an end.

Edwards Explains His Decision

“Apologies for sort of springing this one on you guys. I’m actually stepping down from the captaincy from here,” Edwards told the team in the video.

“I think it’s sort of something Cookie (Ryan Cook) and I have been speaking about and I’ve sort of been speaking to a few different people about it, and this is sort of the time that feels right for me, I think.”

“I feel like I’ve got so much more to offer as a player and obviously that’s my goal sort of going forward with all you boys.”

“I think this is such a special group. And yeah, I think the world’s our oyster and I’m really looking forward to what’s to come. But yeah, I didn’t want to sort of get that in the way of the series, but that’s it from me and I can’t thank you guys enough for the efforts you’ve put in for me and for this team over the last four years. It’s been, yeah, a massive honour for me and I love wearing the orange and can’t wait for many more years to come,” said Edwards.

Memorable Captaincy and Bas de Leede’s Tribute

Edwards’ time as captain included some memorable results, including wins over South Africa in Dharamsala and Bangladesh in Kolkata during the 2023 ODI World Cup. He also led the Netherlands in 50 of his 86 T20Is, with victories over Zimbabwe and South Africa at the 2022 T20 World Cup. The famous win over South Africa knocked them out of the tournament.

The wicketkeeper-batter has now handed over the captaincy to de Leede, widely regarded as one of the Netherlands’ leading players. The 26-year-old will captain the ODI side for the remaining ICC CWC League 2 matches against Oman and the UAE, and he thanked Edwards for everything he had done for the team.

Replying to Edwards in the same video, de Leede said, “I think if I can speak on behalf of the players, you’ve led us into some really cool battles over the years. And I just want to thank you for believing in us.”

“Even if some of us didn’t believe in ourselves or in the team, the way you were able to communicate to us what the plan was and how it was going to be acquired every single game, day in, day out, was special and made me as a player believe in my own ability more than I ever did before.”

“It doesn’t set just the team up for success, but it sets individuals up for success. And I think we should all be very thankful for that, for a guy to be that selfless to put others into the best space to perform. It’s pretty special. I’m so excited to see what’s more to come for you as a player. I think you’re a very special player and I can’t wait to lead you on the field,” said de Leede.

Netherlands Eye World Cup Qualifier Spot

The Netherlands currently sit second in the CWC League 2 standings behind the USA. The top four teams at the end of the competition will qualify for the World Cup Qualifier, with the Netherlands set to play their final matches later this year against Oman and the UAE.

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