Speed dumped from ICC

Seems members from certain national boards din't like his hardline attitude to Zimbabwe so he's been placed on paid leave until his contract runs out.

ICC in turmoil as Speed ousted

Cricinfo staff

April 25, 2008

Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, has been put on paid leave until his contract runs out on July 4.

In a brief statement, David Morgan, the ICC's president-elect, said: "This ... is the result of a fundamental breakdown in the relationship between the CEO and a number of board members, including the president, over a variety of issues that include Zimbabwe.

"David Richardson, the ICC general manager - cricket, will serve as interim CEO until Speed's replacement, Haroon Lorgat, assumes the role at the ICC's annual conference at the beginning of July."

More to follow.

That's not good.

I wonder which voting bloc needs Zimbabwe's continued presence? Or is that a touch too cynical . . .

this is one aussie we won't be missing.

But Zimbabwe ????

You'd think any shred of credibility the ICC had has now disappeared.

If these reports are accurate, Roebuck's next article will be interesting.

I thought Speed was sympathetic to Zimbabwe's cause? I am confused.

More from cricinfo:

n July last year, a confidential report by Speed and Faisal Hasnain, the ICC's chief financial officer, was leaked, much to the ICC's embarrassment and anger, in which Speed made a series of stinging attacks on Zimbabwe Cricket's finances, concluding: "It is clear that the accounts of ZC have been deliberately falsified to mask various illegal transactions from the auditors and the government of Zimbabwe. The accounts were incorrect and at no stage did ZC draw the attention of the users of these accounts to the unusual transactions. It may not be possible to rely on the authenticity of its balance sheet."

Mali, who is a staunch supporter of Zimbabwe and of its officials, has not yet commented publicly on the situation. However, he is understood to have been incensed by Speed's conduct and gained support from a number of board members as he successfully moved to have Speed sidelined for the remainder of his tenure.

I am no fan of Malcolm Speed, but this is highly alarming.

International cricket needs to take a stand over Zimbabwe. If the ICC won't do it then individual countries need to.

Perhaps we need to consider a boycott of ICC events. The Champions Trophy is due to be played this September. England, Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies could band together.

Would it be a divisive move? Yes. But it might be necessary if we are to stop the international cricket community from losing its credibility long-term.

The ICC have since refused to make the Zimbabwe audit available

They should be made to.

Or KPMG should leak it.

This position by the ICC on Zim is scarcely believable tbh. What could they possibly think the world's reaction would be?

They're out of touch with what the vast majority of the world thinks....

eowyn wrote:They're out of touch with what the vast majority of the world thinks....

India is no longer part of this world?

Just typical incompetence and political bullsheet that comes with a board made up of incompetant fools.

Its all about the moolah, and voting at the end of the day.

The ICC is a joke, and will continue to be until the majority of the fools which sit on the board are gone.

No doubt to be replaced by other equally idiotic and politically orientated fools.

tac wrote:

eowyn wrote:They're out of touch with what the vast majority of the world thinks....

India is no longer part of this world?

India doesn't make up the majority of the world's population just yet, porky.

eowyn wrote:

tac wrote:

eowyn wrote:They're out of touch with what the vast majority of the world thinks....

India is no longer part of this world?

India doesn't make up the majority of the world's population just yet, porky.

Of the cricketing world it does . . . methinks . . .

Now if Lags were here id have expected a post containing the words...

iraq,oil,white,imperialist,uk,Australia

Mind you Bucky might yet join in....

tac wrote:

eowyn wrote:They're out of touch with what the vast majority of the world thinks....

India is no longer part of this world?

Not the 'white world' perhaps ?

I don't think India supports Zimbabwe in any manner. Yes, we are also short of raw materials like copper etc but we will not go the China route.

Snigger

tac wrote:Of the cricketing world it does . . . methinks . . .

I was kind of hoping this would go further than the cricketing world......

JKLever wrote:Snigger

I yearn to satisfy.

It really is bad this isn't it. It is a clear demonstration of what happens to most organisations; that they develop into self-serving organisations whose purpose is to perpetuate itself rather than carry out the task it was originally set up to administer. When such an eventuality occurs, the organization becomes totally ruthless and intolerant of any worker who doesn't tow the line. Ironically the organisation becomes willing to sacrifice its"charge" just to pursue its existance.

It's called institutionalisation.

Speed's attitude towards Zimbabwe would appear to have changed. 5 years ago he threatened England with all sorts of punishments if they didn't play Zimbabwe at the 2003 world cup. He couldn't have cared less about the moral issues. He basically told England- I dont care what you think, play them or else. Now he's been ousted because those around him don't like his 'hardline' approach to Zimbabwe? Strange.

Trev

5 years ago the protest was at the political situation in Zimbabwe ...

Speed's protest at the moment seems to be about the Cricket Board ...

embee wrote:Trev

5 years ago the protest was at the political situation in Zimbabwe ...

Speed's protest at the moment seems to be about the Cricket Board ...

Well the cricket board is practically run by Mugabe anyway....

Are the Zimbas still down to play 2 Tests in England next year prior to the Ashes? According to the latest edition of "The Playfair Cricket Annual" they are. This is a train crash waiting to happen, especially if Mugabe is still in power which seems likely. G.Brown & Co will take a rather different attitude to the tour than they have to the Olympics and will order the ECB to cancel the tour citing "security" as Callaghan did for the aborted South African tour in 1970.

Arrangements should be put in place now in case of a cancellation, by either side (and it is not a particularly appetising curtain-raiser or suitable preparation for the Ashes campaign). An extra Test should be added, preferably at Old Trafford, which was cruelly deprived of a match, especially after some of the best cricket of the series was played there in 2005, and in case the Test at the as yet untested (or constructed) Cardiff venue should prove farcical with a triangular 20-20 tournament involving possibly Pakistan or the West Indies.