Cricket Ireland confirmed on Thursday that Richard Holdsworth will leave his post as director of cricket, ending a 14-year spell in senior roles with the board. His departure follows the exit of long-serving chief executive Warren Deutrom last August, marking a further shift at the top of Irish cricket.
Holdsworth arrived at the then-amateur organisation in 2011 as high-performance director and moved into the director of cricket position in 2025. A brief statement from Cricket Ireland said he would “step back” in order “to embark on the next chapter of his professional life”.
The governing body is already part-way through a wider leadership change. Sarah Keane, formerly chief executive of Swim Ireland, is due to take over from Deutrom later this year, with chair Ross McCollum acting in an interim capacity until March.
Holdsworth reflected on his tenure with characteristic understatement. “I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved together working with a team of outstanding staff,” he said. “From our collective efforts to professionalise structures and support players at the highest level, to seeing Ireland compete with distinction on the global stage — it has been a privilege to be part of this journey. Cricket Ireland will soon welcome a new chief executive officer, further marking a transition to the next phase of the organisation’s strategic growth and ambition, and I wish Sarah and the team continued growth and success.”
McCollum was equally warm in his assessment. He credited Holdsworth with the “transformation of the high performance structures” that underpinned Ireland’s elevation to ICC Full-Member status in 2017. “We are saying a farewell to a colleague who truly loves this sport and put everything into his work with the express purpose of improving opportunities for Irish cricketers to develop and thrive on the world stage,” McCollum said. “On behalf of Irish cricket, I thank Richard for his dedication and achievement over 14 years and wish him well in his next step.”
Holdsworth’s next move has not been disclosed, though those close to Cricket Ireland expect him to stay involved in player development. For the board, attention now shifts to appointing his successor and bedding in a fresh leadership group before a busy international summer, which includes men’s Tests against Zimbabwe and the women’s side hosting Pakistan.
A smoother pathway from age-group cricket to the senior teams and a sustainable domestic calendar remain priority areas, and whoever takes charge can expect immediate pressure to deliver. Yet, for a sport that only gained Full-Member status seven years ago, the foundations Holdsworth leaves behind are widely viewed as stronger than those he inherited.
