Cricket Sierra Leone is mourning the loss of two of its former board and executive members whose contributions left a lasting impact on the development of the sport.
One of the departed is Ainor Emmanuel C. Scott, a highly respected cricket administrator, umpire, and former national player. Scott served in several key roles within the Sierra Leone Cricket Association (SLCA), including Secretary General, Technical Director (2012–2016), First Vice President (2007–2012), Chairman of the Selection Committee, and Director of Development from 2016 to 2021.
Beyond administration, Ainor was an accomplished umpire who officiated at the 2004 ACA/ICC Division Three finals at Willomore Park in Benoni, South Africa. As a player, he was an opening batsman for Sierra Leone and held the national opening partnership record with Julius Spencer. Widely regarded for his deep knowledge of the game, he earned the nickname “the human Cricket Encyclopedia” and often said cricket was in his DNA.
He was educated at the Sierra Leone Grammar School, where his cricket journey began. He later studied Laboratory Technology in Accra, Ghana, and worked with the Ministry of Health upon returning home. He furthered his studies in Nuclear Medicine in London before serving with the German Leprosy and TB Control Programme at Lakka Government Hospital. During the Ebola outbreak from 2014 to 2016, he led Sierra Leone’s Ebola Response Team at Connaught Hospital, playing a critical role in controlling the disease.
A passionate football fan and devoted supporter of Manchester United, Ainor Emmanuel C. Scott passed away on December 31, 2025, and was laid to rest on January 12, 2026.
Cricket Sierra Leone is also mourning former Deputy CEO Foday Sankoh, who was also Managing Director of Limeline Sierra Leone. Sankoh used his corporate influence to support cricket development, notably facilitating the donation of a container of nets and playing equipment to SLCA in 2011. Limeline also supported land acquisition at Success for an envisioned ultra-modern cricket oval and sponsored the senior men’s team for the World League Division Three tournament in South Africa, where Sierra Leone recorded a memorable victory over Tanzania.
Sankoh was laid to rest at the Eternal Gardens Cemetery in Chislehurst, Bromley, London.
Cricket Sierra Leone has described both men as pillars of the game whose legacies will continue to inspire future generations.
