The 2013 European Division 1 tournament was a bitter-sweet one for the teams and indeed for ICC Europe employee Phil Hudson who was such a pivotal figure in the development of the game though Europe.

Sadly for the sport a wind of change was blowing in from Dubai, with cost cutting being the order of the day. Under the stewardship of Nick Pink, the ICC Europe staff was whittled away, quickly followed by the structured dismantlement of the various tournaments.

Phil Hudson and Freddie Klokker©CricketEurope

This decline was a deathknell for the sport in many countries, starved of genuine competitive action against their peers.

This photo followed an impassioned speech by Freddie Klokker who slammed Pink for his short-sightedness in getting rid of Hudson and the many tournaments. Pink didn’t hang around long in the role, moving on to take up posts in golf and hockey.