Cricket
Haroon Lorgat to leave ICC
2011-11-22 11:17
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Dubai - Haroon Lorgat will step down as International Cricket Council chief executive when his term expires in June, having taken on spot-fixing, but failing to deliver on a world Test championship in 2013.
The 51-year-old South African, who took up his post in 2008, said on Tuesday he will step down after the ICC annual convention next year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was offered an extension on his three-year contract last year but chose to extend it only until 2012.
While he did oversee a successful 2011 World Cup and raised the sport's profile, the soft-spoken Lorgat will probably best be remembered for stepping up the ICC's campaign against corruption after three Pakistan players were ensnared in a spot-fixing scandal last year by an English newspaper.
Pakistan players Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were jailed in London this month after they were found guilty of spot-fixing by bowling predetermined no-balls in a Test against England.
In February, the ICC suspended the trio for a minimum period of five years.
"In 2010, I felt there was much work for me to complete during 2011 which included protecting the integrity of the game and restoring the reputation and image of the ICC," Lorgat said in a statement. "Having dealt decisively with the spot-fixing issues, delivered a highly successful ICC Cricket World Cup and adopted a new global strategy, I feel the time is right to move on."
Lorgat acknowledged he was disappointed he was unable to schedule the inaugural world Test championship as planned in 2013. It has been delayed until 2017.
The ICC attempted to move the Champions Trophy from 2013 for the Test championship in England that year but the idea was dropped due to prior commitments from Test teams.
The ICC also failed to push through the mandatory use of the Decision Review System. The executive board last month decided to leave it up to participating nations to consider whether they want to use the technology.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has been a strong critic of the system - especially the use of Hotspot - but the ICC said DRS will still be used in all of its global events.
ICC President Sharad Pawar said Lorgat leaves the body in a stronger position than when he took over three years ago.
"(He) has steered the ICC through some tricky situations, such as the rescheduling of the 2008 ICC Champions Trophy, the location of the ICC Headquarters in Dubai, the response to the Lahore attack, several doping issues, the recent spot-fixing hearings and the highly successful ICC Cricket World Cup 2011," he said.
"I am satisfied that his contribution to the ICC and to cricket leaves us in a solid position."
The ICC will soon begin advertising for a successor.
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