Latest news with #SimonWillis
South China Morning Post
16-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Simon Willis quits as Hong Kong cricket head coach days after side's T20 failure
Simon Willis has resigned as head coach of the men's Hong Kong cricket team, days after his side failed to make the final of their home T20 quadrangular series. Advertisement It was the latest in a string of disappointing performances from a side that has lost ground on its Asian rivals over the past year, struggling to beat the likes of Qatar and Kuwait on several occasions. In a statement released on Wednesday, the Englishman said he was leaving to pursue new challenges, but the 51-year-old's future had been in doubt for some time, and sources said the search for a replacement was likely to start as soon as possible. Still, just four days ago, Willis was discussing how Hong Kong could move forward, even while raising concerns over his team's commitment and focus. Wishing Willis 'all the best in his future endeavours', the cricketing body said the coach had achieved significant milestones since he was appointed in March 2023, which had culminated in qualification for the T20 Asia Cup in India later this year. Simon Willis had been in charge for two years. Photo: Facebook/Simon Willis 'Under Simon's leadership, a larger pool of players has been identified and developed through a clear and aligned men's talent pathway to the international game, marking a substantial advancement for the team,' the CHKC statement said.
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
CCTV captures coach before Isle of Wight hotel crash
Two cars have been written off after a runaway coach crashed into them outside an Isle of Wight hotel. CCTV footages shows the vehicle, which had reportedly suffered a handbrake failure, seconds before it smashed into a white van and white Ford was hurt in the incident, which happened outside Ocean View Hotel on 12 April at about 18:00 BST. The manager of the hotel, Simon Willis, said the driver had been dropping people off so no-one was in the vehicle at the time. He explained: "The coach was badly damaged. It got towed away on Sunday. The van is mine, it's a write off."It ended-up on its roof and another car parked nearby was written-off. It's near-enough demolished the bin store."Police reckon that if it hadn't hit the van it would have carried on going down the road."A statement from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said: "We were called just before 18:00 on 12 April to a report that a coach had collided with two parked cars and a building at the Ocean View Hotel in Shanklin."No one was injured during this incident." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
South China Morning Post
12-04-2025
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong cricket set to plot ‘how we move forwards' after more T20 disappointment
Head coach Simon Willis said Hong Kong cricket would have a period of reflection, then 'decide how we want to move forwards', after another disappointing tournament. Advertisement Rain ruined Hong Kong's chances of reaching the final of their home quadrangular T20 tournament, after the heavens opened when the hosts, batting first, were 68 for three against Nepal on Saturday. Willis refused to blame the wet skies over Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground for his side's exit, after they lost to Kuwait in their opening match on Wednesday. 'In tournaments, you can't leave it to lady luck, you have to determine your own fate by winning games early,' Willis said, adding it was the third time since his appointment in March 2023 that 'we've gone out of competitions because of rain'. Hong Kong have been relegated to the undercard of Sunday's action, with their morning third-place playoff against Qatar the appetiser for Nepal against Kuwait in the final. Advertisement The Qataris lost all three of their group matches, including a 68-run thumping by Hong Kong on Thursday. 'We did OK against Qatar, but we're not where I expect, given the talent in the group,' Willis said. 'They don't realise how good they are, but they have to take responsibility, and show commitment and focus, to achieve the things they want.'
South China Morning Post
09-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong cricket coach blasts team and threatens changes after humbling loss to Kuwait
Simon Willis said Hong Kong delivered 'one of the worst bowling performances' of his two-year tenure, as the head coach tore into the city team following their chastening four-wicket loss to Kuwait on Wednesday. Advertisement The Englishman said he was 'frustrated at players and the team making the same mistakes and not learning quickly enough'. Willis also questioned whether it was 'maybe time to change some things'. 'We have shown faith in players for a long period of time … and they don't win enough matches for Hong Kong,' he added. The first chance for new faces could come as early as Thursday, when Hong Kong play Qatar – who lost to Nepal by eight wickets on Wednesday – in their second match of the quadrangular T20 series. Against Kuwait, a breezy 76 from opener Anshy Rath formed the cornerstone of Hong Kong's 175 for five, a total Willis said was '10 runs light, but enough to be in the game' at the compact Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground. Advertisement Seeking a morale-boosting victory after the disappointment of February's poor Challenge League campaign, Hong Kong struggled to contain Kuwaiti opener Ravija Sandaruwan, who struck three sixes and five boundaries in his 49.
South China Morning Post
16-02-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Coach takes blame as Hong Kong lose to Italy, vows to help city to ‘next level'
Simon Willis shouldered responsibility for Hong Kong's damaging seven-wicket loss to Italy on Sunday, but said he was 'fully up' for the fight of trying to elevate the city team to the 'next level'. After also going down heavily to Uganda on Thursday, Hong Kong have lost significant ground on the top two in Cricket World Cup Challenge League B to leave their hopes of recapturing ODI status all but over for another five years. The final Challenge League leg, where World Cup qualifying progress is also at stake, is in Tanzania next year. Englishman Willis said his team's display against Italy was symptomatic of 'the past six months, when we've not been good enough in big games'. In a repeat of their batting effort against Uganda, when they folded from 38 for 0 to 56 for five, Hong Kong wasted a promising start. From 55 for one, they slumped to 85 for five, with probably only Nizakat Khan able to attribute his downfall to misfortune, after he received a marginal LBW decision. 'We had a great start, but lost wickets when we didn't need to,' Willis said. 'That gave Italy momentum and hope, and we were always struggling with 146 on the board. Hong Kong try to run out Marcus Campopiano (right) in the match at Tin Kwong Road. Photo: Dickson Lee '[Batting collapses are] down to pressure. Sometimes, the guys take on too much and don't realise it's just another game.'
