SINGAPORE: Former Australian prime minister John Howard’s bid to lead world cricket has been derailed, according to the International Cricket Council (ICC), after a revolt by Asian and African nations.
“Following lengthy consideration it was recognised that the nomination put forward by Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket did not have sufficient support within the ICC board,” said the ICC.
Opposition from Asian and African nations sealed the fate of Howard, 70, who has no experience in cricket administration and who clashed repeatedly with some of the countries opposed to his ICC bid when he was Australia’s premier.
“There was nothing personal against Howard,” said a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official.
“But we do accept the argument that only a man with previous experience in cricket administration should head the ICC. Howard was not involved with Cricket Australia at any time.”
In a joint statement, the Australian and New Zealand cricket boards said they were “deeply disappointed” by the ICC’s decision and said they would look at submitting a new nominee by August 31.
Six of the 10 Test-playing nations had signed a letter opposing Howard’s bid amid anger that New Zealand’s former cricket board chairman, John Anderson, had been overlooked.
A seventh nation, Zim-babwe, did not sign the letter but was “one of the main agitators against him”, respected cricket journalist Malcolm Conn, who first revealed the letter, wrote in The Australian newspaper.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 1st, 2010.
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