By Neto Baptiste
The cricketing and by extension, the sports fraternity here in Antigua, are mourning the passing of former national and Leeward Islands women’s cricketer, Sherma Jackson, who passed away on Wednesday this week after ailing for some time.
Tributes have poured in from across Antigua and Barbuda and the region since her passing, with messages coming from both the Leeward Islands Cricket Board and also the West Indies Players Association (WIPA).
President of the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA), Leon Rodney, spoke publicly on Jackson’s passing.
“I just want to take this opportunity on behalf of myself and the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association and by extension the Leeward Islands Cricket Association, to ask the family to accept our deepest sympathies on the passing of Sherma Jackson. Sherma played cricket for Antigua women and also represented the Leeward Islands tournament and we just wish to ask the Almighty to protect them in this time of bereavement,” he said.
In a press release, the Leeward Islands Cricket Board expressed condolences to the family and friends of the fallen player, labelling her someone who believed in herself and worked hard on and off the field.
The document further described Jackson as someone with a vibrant energy and who was full of zest and passion for the game.
Meanwhile, WIPA President, Wavell Hinds, expressed sympathies to Jackson’s family, adding the association and its members are “deeply saddened” by her passing.