For any young athlete, a national team call-up is the stuff of dreams. For Bermudian cricketer Katherine Bean-Rosario, that dream was realized in spectacular fashion as she helped the Leeward Islands secure their first-ever Cricket West Indies (CWI) T20 Blaze title.
The Leeward Islands, traditionally the underdogs of the regional circuit, defied all expectations to finish the tournament undefeated, clinching the trophy via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in a rain-affected finale.
Bean-Rosario’s journey to the senior squad was a rapid one. Having previously starred for the Leeward Islands Under-19s, she was called up to the senior ranks for the 2026 campaign—a move that caught even the player herself by surprise.
"It was very exciting, especially it being my debut," Bean-Rosario told BBC Sport. "I never expected to play my first game for the senior team during the first game of the tournament. I kind of expected to sit on the side and watch."
Despite the nerves of the senior stage, the coaching staff’s message was simple: trust the skills that brought her there. "They were just telling me to have faith in myself," she recalled. "It’s nothing new compared to the Under-19s; I can still use all the skills I have and just take it on the field with the women’s team."
While she is known as a capable batter—memorably striking a vital six against Barbados during the tournament—it was her energy in the field that drew significant praise from the Leeward Islands management. Bean-Rosario was a constant presence in the highlight reels, contributing a catch and a crucial run-out assist during the victory over Guyana.
"My captain told me multiple times not to focus on mistakes and once again just to play my game," she said. "The whole team had good spirits throughout the entire thing. It was never any bad vibes; we just kept our spirits high."
The significance of the victory was not lost on the squad. Prior to the 2026 tournament, the Leeward Islands had never won back-to-back games in the T20 Blaze, let alone the entire championship.
"Nobody expected us to win at all," Bean-Rosario admitted. "I don’t think Leewards has ever won even two games in a row. So hearing that from the start of the tournament... once we got to that three-game mark and we were halfway, it was just like, 'How can we stop?'"
Though she sat out the rain-delayed semi-final to allow teammates who hadn't featured to gain experience, Bean-Rosario remains a central figure in the Leeward Islands' long-term plans. With the Super50 Cup following immediately after the T20 success, the young Bermudian is already looking to refine her game.
"I’m satisfied with what I gave, especially because I didn’t really have any prior practice coming into the tournament," she noted. "I was only in the training camp for about four days, so that’s not really enough. I’m definitely going to focus on the sport to get better for next year."
Thursday, February 05, 2026
Manders Issues Blistering Critique of BCB Leadership
IslandStats.com
With the BCB executive yet to respond to islandstats.com, the pressure continues to mount for a resolution to the ongoing leadership crisis before the first ball of the summer is bowled.
Former Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) President Arnold Manders has delivered a stark warning about the future of the sport on the island, claiming that without immediate intervention, cricket in Bermuda could vanish within the next 15 years.
Manders, who served as president from 2020 until December 2023, voiced his deep frustration with the current executive under Lloyd Smith, citing a catastrophic loss of international funding and a breakdown in high-performance standards.
The former president did not mince words when discussing the current leadership’s handling of the national program. With a major T20 World Cup Qualifier looming in just eight weeks, Manders expressed serious concern over the lack of preparation and plunging player morale.
"I’m not surprised because I think if you look at both Mr. Blankendal and President Smith, I think they don’t have the knowledge in order to be talking about high-performance cricket," Manders stated. "Previously, we’ve always been able to start training months before a tournament."
Manders’ critique follows reports of administrative chaos within the BCB, including a highly publicized fallout over a coaching panel where legends like Janeiro Tucker denied any formal involvement.
The most alarming revelation from Manders concerned the board's financial health. He claimed that the BCB has lost its vital ICC funding and has seen its charity status lapse, effectively cutting off both international and domestic revenue streams.
"The BCB now has no funding from ICC, and the current executive has let their charity status fall away," Manders explained. "There is no money in the kitty. Not having money is a fault of the president, the CEO, and the executive."
Drawing a painful comparison to the decline of softball in Bermuda, Manders warned that cricket is following the same trajectory. He argued that the current predicament is the fault of the clubs, who he claims voted for the current leadership despite the warning signs.
"Remember, we were the 'Big Blue Machine.' We were the best in this region... Where’s softball now?" he asked. "If it’s not sorted and sorted quickly, I can see cricket not being around in 15 years."
Despite his current disillusionment, Manders did not entirely rule out a return to the helm if no other viable candidates step forward to save the sport that "did a lot for him" as a person.
"I don’t know if I could put myself back out there and have the same thing happen again," he admitted. "But it’s something I would think about... if nobody else comes forward, I guess I’d have to put my foot in the door and try to do something to help."
Wednesday, February 04, 2026
St. David’s Reeling as Big Guns Exit in 2026 Transfer Window
IslandStats.com
The Bermuda Cricket Board has officially released the transfer list for the 2026 season, and the headlines belong to a seismic shift in power. St. David’s Cricket Club, the reigning 2025 champions, have seen their title-winning core dismantled, losing five key players to their fiercest rivals.
Somerset have emerged as the primary beneficiaries of the winter window, securing five high-caliber signings to bolster their bid for silverware. The most notable addition is Brianna Ray, who makes the move from Flatts Victoria, bringing elite international experience to the West End.
Ray is joined by a quartet of battle-tested domestic stars, including Warwick Workmen's duo Callum MacFarlane and Zeri Tomlinson, the latter of whom has recently signed with Papplewick and Linby Cricket Club in India
If Somerset are building for the future, the Southampton Rangers are built for the "now." The Rangers have pulled off a series of spectacular coups, signing five players with extensive National Team and Cup Match pedigree.
The marquee signing is undoubtedly Delray Rawlins, the former Sussex professional and current Bermuda captain, who moves from Bailey's Bay. He is joined by the explosive Allan Douglas Jr. and the Bascome brothers—Onias and Oronde—both of whom were instrumental in St. David’s championship run last summer.
In a move that will delight the fans at St. John's Field, Tre Manders has confirmed his return to Western Stars. The National team and Somerset Cup Match stalwart ends his stint with St. David’s to lead a new-look Stars side.
Manders, widely regarded as one of the island's most technically gifted batsmen, is expected to step straight back into a leadership role as Stars look to break back into the league's upper echelons.
The departure of the Bascome brothers and Manders leaves a gaping hole in the St. David’s lineup. Having lost five championship-winning players in a single window, the 2025 winners now face the daunting task of a complete rebuild before their title defense begins in April.
Bailey's Bay
Jahir Smith - Southampton Rangers Jahnoi Bean - Somerset Cricket Club Jaiden Manders - Western Stars Tai Cariah - Somerset Cricket Club
Cleveland County Cricket Club
Clay Darrell - St. George's Cricket Club Jermal Proctor - Somerset Cricket Club Shaquille Pitcher - Devonshire Recreation Club
Flatts Victoria
Jamin Furbert - St. George's Cricket Club Master Temiko Wilson - Western Stars Ryan Tyrell - Western Stars Treadwell Gibbons - Devonshire Recreation Club
PHC
Jahmari Beach - Southampton Rangers
Somerset Cricket Club
Brianna Ray - Flatts Victoria Callum MacFarlane - Warwick Workmen’ s Club Jan-Johan (JJ) Nel - Flatts Victoria Kwasi James - Willow Cuts Zeri Tomlinson - Warwick Workmen’s Club
Southampton Rangers
Allan Douglas Jr - Devonshire Recreation Club Delray Rawlins - Bailey's Bay Deunte Darrell - Willow Cuts Onias Bascome - St. David's Cricket Club Oronde Bascome - St. David's Cricket Club
St. George's Cricket Club
De-Nyi Thomas - Bailey's Bay Keegan Jones - Flatts Victoria Sa-Qui Robinson - St. David's Cricket Club
Warwick Workmen’s Club
Kevon Fubler - St. David's Cricket Club Seth Campbell - Western Stars
Western Stars Sports Club
Tre Manders - St. David's Cricket Club
Tuesday, February 03, 2026
Bean-Rosario Reflects on Leeward Islands T20 Blaze Title
IslandStats.com
Bermuda's Katherine Bean-Rosario has described her historic role in the Leeward Islands' first-ever Cricket West Indies (CWI) T20 Blaze title as an "unforgettable experience," as the side defied the odds to secure regional glory.
The 19-year-old all-rounder, who recently made the leap from the Under-19 ranks to the senior setup, was part of a squad that completed an undefeated campaign to lift the trophy at Arnos Vale. For the Leeward Islands, a team that had never previously reached such heights in the competition, the victory marked a tectonic shift in the Caribbean cricketing landscape.
Despite having only a week to prepare as a collective, Bean-Rosario noted that the squad utilized every second to build a championship-winning environment.
Speaking exclusively to www.islandstats.com, "Upon my arrival, I instantly felt a connection with the women as they quickly took me under their wing," Bean-Rosario reflected. "We all trained very hard from morning to evening, working on what we needed to get better at as a team and as individuals. This time was different. We all went into the T20 with confidence and high hopes".
That confidence was tested throughout the tournament. In a format where momentum can shift in a single over, the Leewards found themselves under pressure on multiple occasions—most notably in their opening win against Jamaica and the rain-affected finale against Barbados.
"A lot of the time, we would start to doubt and think that the game wasn’t going our way," she admitted. "But we continued to keep our heads up, and each game we would take the win home".
For Bean-Rosario, the victory carried personal weight. After suffering the heartbreak of losing back-to-back finals with the Leeward Islands Under 19’s in 2024 and 2025, reaching the pinnacle at the senior level felt like a just reward.
"I guess what they say is true—third time’s the charm, and it feels great," she remarked, highlighting the contrast between her previous near-misses and this year's historic breakthrough.
While her impact on the pitch was significant, the Bermudian prospect emphasized that her "leveling up" was as much about education as it was about performance. Whether in the starting XI or supporting from the sidelines, Bean-Rosario treated every moment in the senior camp as a developmental milestone.
Observation: Attended every match with the intent to "watch, listen, and learn". Resilience: Even when dealing with a slight injury, she focused on developing existing skills and supporting the team. Gratitude: Credited the Bermuda Cricket Board, including Calvin Blankendal and Lloyd Smith, for facilitating the opportunity.
Monday, February 02, 2026
Outerbridge Demands Accountability in BCB Crisis
IslandStats.com
Local cricket has been left in "no man’s land" following a week of administrative chaos, contradictory coaching announcements, and mounting concerns over player morale.
Former national captain and current Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club President Stephen Outerbridge has broken his silence on the situation, describing the latest upheaval at the Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) as a "horrible situation" that has left the sport's future hanging in the balance.
The controversy ignited when BCB President Lloyd Smith announced a new four-man coaching panel to lead the senior men’s national team—only for legendary all-rounder Janeiro Tucker to vehemently deny any involvement less than 24 hours later.
Speaking on the administrative fallout, Outerbridge expressed deep frustration with the lack of transparency at the executive level.
"This is not a surprise; it's just an unfortunate situation when it comes to cricket," Outerbridge said. "At some point, when things go wrong at the Cricket Board—especially this—nobody takes the blame. It’s like, let's just continue with the business at hand, and nobody takes accountability for it".
The BCB’s coaching strategy was further dismantled when Tucker expressed anger that his business associate, Mahesh Hatkar, was also named as part of the setup without a formal contract. The disconnect has reportedly severely impacted player morale, with several senior members of the 25-man training squad now considering withdrawing from the national program.
Outerbridge, who previously served on the high-performance committee, highlighted a significant shift in the Board's philosophy that he believes has led to the current disarray.
"About a year ago, when we started to put things in place, the team looked like they were building for success or to be competitive," Outerbridge reflected. "Then all of a sudden, you come and say everything’s got to go to one person. That one person, I hope, has to take accountability for all of this".
The timing of the crisis could not be worse for Bermuda. The national team is scheduled to compete in the North American Cup in the Cayman Islands this April, followed by the high-stakes ICC T20 World Cup Americas Sub-Regional Qualifier on home soil in June.
Despite the mounting pressure, the BCB executive has remained largely silent. Reports indicate that both President Lloyd Smith and CEO Calvin Blankendal have failed to respond to repeated inquiries regarding the coaching panel's status and the lack of player morale.
"You're not going to get them to comment on it because it makes them look weak," Outerbridge added. "But at the end of the day, people just want somebody to be accountable, and it's just not going to happen".
Historically, the BCB is a representation of its member clubs, who hold the power to call a Special General Meeting (SGM) or a vote of no confidence. With the international calendar looming and the national program in a state of flux, the fraternity is now waiting to see if the clubs will finally demand answers for the future of the game.
www.islandsats.com has once again reached out to the President of the Cricket Board and at the time of this posting we have not heard back from the President.
