OMAR HENRY NOMINATED AS PRESIDENT-ELECT OF CRICKET SCOTLAND
Cricket Scotland is delighted to announce that Omar Henry has been nominated as President-Elect of the governing body.
A former Scotland captain and South Africa international, Omar is a member of Cricket Scotland's Hall of Fame, and rightly recognised as an iconic figure within our game for his success and impact on the pitch, throughout Scottish cricket and across the world.
Born in Stellenbosch in South Africa, Omar moved to Scotland in his mid-20s to play club cricket, enjoying successful spells with Arbroath, Poloc, Stenhousemuir and West Lothian. His talents as a slow left arm bowler and powerful batter saw him capped 62 times for Scotland, including 14 times as captain, where his leadership and motivational skills shone through and influenced many within the Scottish game.
In 1992, Omar became the first non-white player of the post-apartheid era to represent South Africa, playing at that year’s ICC World Cup, before later that year becoming the oldest debutant in Test cricket. Following his retirement from playing, Omar served as Head Coach and then Chief Executive of Boland Cricket, as well as Chair of selectors for Cricket South Africa.
In 2018, Omar was inducted into Cricket Scotland’s Hall of Fame, and was present at The Grange to receive his commemorative cap on the same day that Scotland’s men defeated England.
Omar Henry said:
"I am honoured to have been nominated as President-Elect of Cricket Scotland. It is a privilege to serve the Scottish cricketing community, and I am grateful for the trust placed in me. I look forward to supporting the continued growth and progress of the game across the country.
"During my term, I aim to champion the development of cricket at all levels — from local clubs to the national stage — and to help foster a game that is inclusive, sustainable, and forward-looking. Engaging directly with clubs, volunteers, and communities will be at the heart of this effort.
"I am particularly encouraged by Cricket Scotland’s new four-year strategy, Uniting People and Communities through Cricket. Its focus on inspiring women and girls, promoting equality, achieving sustainable success, and strengthening Cricket Scotland as a governing body reflects a bold and necessary vision for the future. I am committed to supporting its implementation, especially in helping to build a more inclusive and accessible game for all — one where diversity, equality and inclusion are embedded at every level.
"To all clubs and members of our cricketing community, thank you for your continued dedication. I look forward to working with you in the months ahead to help bring this shared vision to life and shape a positive future for cricket in Scotland."
Wilf Walsh, Cricket Scotland Chair, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Omar Henry as our President-Elect, a global cricket icon who needs no introduction to many within Scottish cricket.
“As a player on the field, Omar possessed world class talent; off it, he has influenced and inspired generations of cricket lovers in Scotland, South Africa and around the world. We are honoured for him to offer his time to Scottish cricket once more, at what is an important juncture for our sport. He possesses extensive senior coaching and administrative experience and we are delighted that he is joining us and basing himself in Scotland for the remainder of the 2025 summer and in 2026.
“While his ambassadorial role centres primarily around our domestic game, we look forward to integrating him with our Board and Executive team. His presence and experience will be of great value as we continue to deliver our strategy, embed inclusion, anti-racism and equality across our sport, and promote the growth of cricket throughout Scotland.”
Omar's tenure as Cricket Scotland President will commence following approval by member clubs at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting of Cricket Scotland Council Ltd, which will take place on Wednesday 30 July.