ICC: India Rules Cricket Australia Out?

Australian Cricket is continuously under pressure. First the Australian cricket team has lost its consistency. And now, the Cricket Australia, Australian cricket board, seems to have started losing its influence on World Cricket affairs.

John Howard, the former Prime Minister of Australia, has been rejected for the post of Vice President of ICC, in the Executive meeting of the Cricket’s governing body held in Singapore on Tuesday. John was the candidate nominated by Australia & New Zealand, but only England (apart from the nominators) voted in favor of his run for the Vice Presidency. A vast majority, featuring the Cricket boards of Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa and West Indies voted against John Howard. Cricket analysts fear that this development has raised the concerns of division of World Cricket in 2 parts: “White” & “Non-White nations”!

John Howard is not a new name in Cricket World. As Australian Premiere, he has raised voice against different issues related to Cricket. Especially, Howard has severely criticized Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe. He has also invited anger from Sri Lanka for supporting ban on Muttiah Muralitharan for his ‘illegal’ arm action. 

In the same meeting of ICC board members, India’s Sharad Pawar has taken up the responsibility as the President of ICC. Pawar was former chairman of BCCI, the Indian Cricket Board. 

Now ICC has asked Australia & New Zealand Cricket boards to nominate someone else for this post.  

To me, John Howard’s rejection is not a big issue. But what is more significant is that the ICC Executive Board has divided into 2 blocs. If you look at the past

of Mr. Howard, you will find that he does not have any prior experience of administrating a Cricket board, or institute. Neither has he had any experience in the field of Cricket in any other role. Although he loves Cricket, but this does not qualify him to be the Vice President of Cricket’s governing body!

But, I don’t think this division in Cricket world is a co-incidence. Historically, on all key issues ICC has been clearly divided into these 2 blocs: The Whites & Blacks! It’s a bitter reality. 

Interestingly, earlier, the ‘White’ bloc dominated the Cricket World, thanks to the dominating position of England and Australia in Cricket. But now things are changing. Cricket Powerhouse has shifted from White nations to Black nations. First, the ICC Headquarters was shifted from Lord’s to Dubai. Then, the money-generation ability of BCCI has ensured that the Indian Cricket Board’s position is much more dominant than ever. And the other Cricketing nations, especially Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, normally take a joint stance along with India on key issues.

So, we can see that Cricket Powerhouse has largely shifted from the ‘White Nations’ bloc to the ‘Non-White Nations’ or the ‘Asian’ bloc. 

Your Turn Now: What do you think? Is John Howard’s Rejection is justified? Should he be elected? Are ICC members really divided into 2 Blocs? Is Australian or the White Nations’ Dominance Ending on World Cricket Affairs? Or Anything Else…Tell in Your COMMENTS!