Melbourne, June 01: Former ICC chief executive Malcom Speed has slammed the ”outrageous” opposition by South Africa and Zimbabwe to John Howard’s nomination for ICC president-elect.
Despite the growing opposition, Speed, who was sacked two years ago for attempting to bring Zimbabwe to account over its damning finances, still believes that Howard will become the ICC president elect.
”There is some irony in this. Zimbabwe throughout has said ‘you must come and play against us for the sake of our cricket,” Speeds said. ”You can’t have politics in cricket, you can’t make political considerations’, and the ICC has consistently endorsed that position.
”Their position now, as I understand it, is that Howard’s not qualified because he’s a politician and he’s criticised Zimbabwe, so they bring politics back into it when it suits them. I think the behaviour of Zimbabwe, and South Africa supporting them, has been outrageous,” Speed told ‘The Australian’.
”They agreed to the process. They knew it was to be Australia and New Zealand’s decision and they should have been prepared to accept that position and not second-guess those countries. The process should have been followed,” he added.
He also described as ”a nonsense” the suggestion that Howard, a former prime minister of Australia, was not qualified because he was not a member of the Cricket Australia board. Speed pointed out that Ehsan Mani, who was elected president in 2003, was also not a part of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), just like Howard.
”(Ehsan) Mani wasn’t a member of Pakistan board,” Speed said of the ICC president elected in 2003. ”In fact he lived in England, but he was their (PCB) nominee and he was a very good president.” Former BCCI president Sharad Pawar, who is set to take over as ICC President, will play a crucial role in Howard’s future with the world body, although he himslef does not have a vote.
”Sharad Pawar is a very sensible, experienced man who I think has now got a good grip of cricket administration and politics.
”He’s the incoming president and he still has a lot of influence in India so from afar I’m hopeful the process is followed and that Australia and New Zealand’s recommendation is accepted,” Speed said.
——-Agencies