Australia’s Howard fails in ICC leadership bid

The Australian newspaper said a majority of Test-playing nations signed a letter opposing Howard’s bid for the presidency of the International Cricket Council, which will be decided at an ICC executive board meeting in Singapore.

“Six of the 10 major cricket nations signed a letter opposing Howard as a candidate while a seventh, Zimbabwe, did not sign but is one of the main agitators against him,” respected cricket journalist Malcolm Conn wrote on the paper’s website.

“Howard’s only supporters were the three white nations: Australia, New Zealand and England, reinforcing the power of the Afro-Asia bloc in world cricket.”

A source familiar with the Singapore talks confirmed to AFP the existence of the letter and that six of the 10 Test-playing cricket nations were opposing Howard’s bid.

The source, who asked not to be named, said Howard was not inside the room inside a Singapore convention centre where the meeting was taking place.

A second source, speaking to AFP during a brief break from the meeting, described Howard’s candidacy as a “sensitive matter” and would not comment further.

According to The Australian report, the letter also asked that Howard, who is reportedly in Singapore, not be allowed to address the gathering.

An official decision was to be reached later Wednesday.

Howard, a passionate cricket fan who led a conservative government in Australia for 11 years, was the joint Australia-New Zealand candidate for vice-president and due to take up that role this year.

As is the tradition, he was expected to take over the rotating presidency from India’s Sharad Pawar in 2012.

But the appointment has been opposed by countries angered that New Zealand’s former cricket board chairman, John Anderson, was overlooked for the role in favour of Howard, who has no experience in cricket administration.

Howard had faced a challenge in winning over the powerful Asian bloc after once labelling celebrated Sri Lankan bowler Muttiah Muralitharan a “chucker”, or someone with an illegal bowling action.

Zimbabwe’s reservations stem from Howard’s repeated criticisms of President Robert Mugabe’s regime, and South African cricket officials appear to be backing their neighbours.