Cricket
SA's Richardson new ICC CEO
2012-06-28 10:03
Kuala Lumpur - Cricket's world body inaugurated a
new chief executive and president on Thursday and announced a new post of
chairperson in a small step towards reform after the sport was urged to
modernise.
Former South African keeper David Richardson succeeded
Haroon Lorgat as the International Cricket Council's (ICC) chief
executive, after his compatriot's four-year term ended, and New
Zealander Alan Isaac became the body's new president.
"We take
over the game in extremely good health but obviously lots of
challenges," Isaac, the former chairperson of New Zealand Cricket, told a
press conference.
The ICC was forced into an embarrassing U-turn
this week after its chief executives recommended mandatory use of
decision review technology, only for the move to be rejected by its
India-dominated board.
The body also made only slow progress
towards wide-ranging structural reforms urged by an independent review,
which damningly called it a "members' club" skewed towards cricket's
leading nations.
The new post of chairperson, and reducing the
presidency to a ceremonial role in 2014, were recommended in the review.
But more contentious talks on changing the board's structure and
membership rules were put aside.
Mandatory decision review
technology and internal reforms are strongly opposed by India, which
provides the bulk of cricket's revenues due to its huge fan base - and
wields corresponding influence on the all-powerful board.
Cricket
is also trying to recover from damaging spot-fixing scandals which left
four players in jail, and rationalise its three competing formats in a
crowded international calendar.