Ex-Aussie PM Howard nominated to lead ICC

Former Australian prime minister John Howard, a cricket lover seen at Test matches around the world, was on Tuesday named as a candidate to lead the sport internationally from 2012.

Howard, 70, said he was honoured and humbled to be Australia and New Zealand’s nominee for International Cricket Council (ICC) president but refused to comment until his candidacy was made official in June.

Cricket Australia (CA) and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said it was extremely difficult to nominate someone for the role which involves juggling the political and cultural considerations of 10 diverse cricketing nations.

“We are pleased that an eminent candidate in John Howard has agreed, after an exhaustive process, to take the role of joint Australia-New Zealand nominee for the ICC presidency,” they said in a statement.

“The ICC faces significant and complex internal and external challenges in its quest for cricket to become a genuinely global sport.”

Howard, Australia’s prime minister from 1996 to 2007, is a self-confessed “cricket tragic” whose only official position since losing power has been as director of the Bradman Foundation which honours the legendary Don Bradman.

The ICC presidency is a two-year rotating position currently held by England’s David Morgan, who hands over to India’s Sharad Pawar later this year.

It is expected that Howard will take on the deputy presidency ahead of assuming full leadership in mid-2012.—AFP