The ICC confirmed the decision this afternoon following an executive meeting that was supposed to formalise Howard’s election. No vote was taken and Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket were asked to re-nominate a candidate by August 31.

The ICC said in a statement: “Following lengthy consideration it was recognised that the nomination put forward by Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket did not have sufficient support within the ICC board.”

Cricket Australia’s chairman Jack Clarke and his New Zealand Cricket counterpart Alan Isaac said in a joint statement they were “deeply disappointed” after supplying “the best possible candidate”. “We jointly nominated Mr Howard as he possesses significant leadership and administrative skills,” they said. “We believe cricket needs to continue to seek excellence and dispassionate independence in the game’s global governance.

“We were delighted that the most senior world figure ever considered for this role agreed to accept the nomination. We remain convinced it is reasonable for his nomination to be supported by the ICC executive board and we are deeply disappointed by the position taken.”

Initial rumblings from Zimbabwe and South Africa in April became an all-conquering alliance when India signed up along with their subcontinent neighbours this week. It leaves the ICC without a deputy to be paraded alongside India’s Sharad Pawar when he takes over the presidency from David Morgan this week.

The position taken by the six board members on Tuesday night was believed to be an attempt to force Howard to withdraw his nomination before the meeting. Howard remained in the race but lost the one-man raffle at the Raffles convention centre, ending the 70-year-old’s cricket administration career before it was allowed to begin. source: cricinfo.com/ci-icc/content

Malik then took 4 for 25 as Northants only made 137 for 9 in reply, with Mal Loye making 39 as they collapsed from 106 for 3 in their last five overs. Leicestershire won the toss and chose to bat first, but the heavens opened 25 minutes before the scheduled start forcing a 50-minute delay and the loss of two overs per side.

When the players did emerge, the Foxes got off to a disastrous start when Jacques Du Toit was run out with the very first ball by the bowler Vaas. Former Australia all-rounder Brad Hodge (16) was then stumped by Northants wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien off the bowling of Nicky Boje.

source www.cricinfo.com

Zimbabwe have taken major steps towards regaining their position in the cricketing hierarchy, of challengers capable of toppling the best sides on their day, and Brendan Taylor who has been at the forefront of the turnaround, has reaffirmed his loyalty to the Zimbabwean cause.

“Zimbabwe is my home and it is good place to be in right now,” Taylor told DNA. “I want to support Zimbabwe cricket as much as I can. We’re training hard and trying to give our best to play against Australia, India and Sri Lanka. Hopefully by next year, we will get our Test status back and things here will be normal soon.

“We feel the first class structure in Zimbabwe is heading in the right direction. It’s run professionally and we just hope it continues the same way. We have got five teams at the moment and we’re trying to give exposure to the youngsters,” he said.

source www.cricinfo.com

Sri Lankan allrounder Sanath Jayasuriya has signed with Worcestershire as their overseas player for five Twenty20 matches this summer. He will replace allrounder Steve Smith, who was called-up to Australia’s limited-overs squads for the forthcoming tour of England.

“Sanath will bring a wealth of experience to the squad during a critical part of the forthcoming T20 campaign gained from playing all around the world, including the IPL and the recent World Twenty20 in the West Indies,” Steve Rhodes, Worcestershire’s director of cricket, said. “His left-arm spin and powerful batting can only benefit our efforts in this competition and there is no doubt he is still one of the most exciting cricketers in world cricket. He is a proven match-winner and I have no doubt he will prove to be a great entertainer for our supporters.”

source www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/news.html

“Twenty-over cricket has a place for what I would term “proper stroke-makers” – batsmen who play their shots on the merit of each delivery,” Butt told Pakpassion.net. “Bowlers are fighting back when it comes to this form of the game and they are finding new ways to innovate and to restrict the batting side. As a batsman I think you have to play the high percentage shots, the shots that you know you can play, the shots that you feel you can score off effectively.”

source www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/news.html

Greg Chappell has delivered a blunt message to cricket’s administrators: Test cricket is under threat from Twenty20 and something must be done to save the traditional form of the game. Chappell believes the situation is so severe that there could come a time when only four or five nations play Test cricket, with the weaker countries focusing purely on 20- and 50-over games.

The former Australia captain and India coach was in Melbourne on Thursday to deliver the annual Bradman Oration on the state of the game and he painted a worrying picture for the five-day format. He said while iconic tours like the Ashes retained their importance, many other series had lost relevance and administrators should focus on the quality of cricket played, rather than the quantity.

“I’m of the belief that we can support the three formats but obviously we have to give a very long and hard think about how best they work together,” Chappell said. “I have a belief that we need to make each series, whether it’s 20-, 50-over or a Test match series, a lot more relevant.

“I think the format that is under most pressure with 20-over cricket coming in is Test cricket. It has been struggling for some time. Economically, some countries find it very difficult to be competitive and therefore it affects economically the viability of Test series between some countries.

more….http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/news.html