OJ Pitcher has stepped down as captain of league champions St David’s, with the club expecting to name a new captain in the coming days.

Otis Minors, the St David’s president, confirmed yesterday that Pitcher has resigned from the post over health issues. Pitcher collapsed on the field during the Eastern Counties first-round match against Bailey’s Bay last July and was taken to hospital with chest pains.

The Bermuda captain missed Cup Match and has not played since, missing recent Bermuda tours to Canada and Argentina. He will also miss the ICC World Cricket League Division Four tournament in Malaysia at the end of this month.

Pitcher has since written to the Bermuda Cricket Board requesting to step away from the captaincy and has been replaced by Dion Stovell and Terryn Fray, who will lead Bermuda in Malaysia.

“Losing him as captain, that is really hurting the club, but I think we can find a suitable replacement,” Minors said about the prospect of losing Pitcher for the season. “It’s tough for the community to see OJ leave the game at such a young age. He’ll be a big miss but his health comes first.”

Pitcher has been undergoing tests and has been advised by doctors not to do anything strenuous. He could not be reached for comment.

St David’s, who were dethroned as champions by Bailey’s Bay that day, are the defending 50-overs champions and will begin their season on Sunday week when they take on Bailey’s Bay in the Open League.

Minors confirmed the club still intends to honour former groundsman Sidney “Shot” Carlington by renaming the club end of the St David’s field in his memory. Carlington died last summer.

“We still want to do that, we’ve been trying to get the sign erected before the beginning of the season but had some problems,” said Minors who returned as president last year. “Hopefully we’ll have that done by the end of June, that’s our target.

“It is second-to-none what he did for the club. I saw him do a lot before I even got around the club. I know what he did for the game and for the club.”