It was announced today, probably unofficially, that Malcolm Speed, CEO of the International Cricket Countil, has been put out on paid leave for the remainder of his tenure as Executive Officer which concludes on 4 July 2008.
David Morgan explains: “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”.
The funny thing about all of this is that it is a common occurence within the administrative offices of cricket heads. Just cast your mind back to 2006 when Pakistan were touring England. Yes, that infamous test match where Darrell Hair called “time” and awarded the match to England after Pakistan refused to return to the field after a break in play. Do you think his employers - the powers of international cricket, the joint-keeper of the MCC Laws – stood by his decision? Not a chance. There is an unwritten law in cricket circles that if you make a decision that could humiliate your employer, enforcing a reduction in their paychecks, then you will not be protected. Mr Hair was only following the laws of the game and he was humiliated and ousted for that…the very rules that his employers expect him to enforce when he wears the “white coat”.
Go back 6 years before that. Hansie Cronje being taken before the King Commission to discuss the allegations of match-fixing. Where was the UCBSA during this trial? Nowhere, they had fired him and washed their hands of this tragedy.
It gets better. A year before the match-fixing scandal broke, Makhaya Ntini was arrested for rape charges and put in jail. The charge came from a woman who said she was violated, which could potentially psychologically ruin the remainder of her life. Who sits next to Ntini during his hearings, none other than Dr Ali Bacher, Managing Director of the UCBSA.
Then, probably my most favorite of all. Allan Badenhorst, a very unknown medium-fast bowler from Eastern Province was suspended from all forms of representative cricket for 2 years following making racial remarks towards a coloured player in a Bowl match between EP “B” and Griquas. Sorry Mr Badenhorst, those words may affect this player for life, we will let you go now. Mr Ntini, your charges of violation and rape are not as bad, we will represent you and ensure that you get off scott-free.
In a free world, it’s all about loyalty and popularity. Mr Ntini was popular amongst the SA selectors because he was the only black “good enough” to play for SA so the UCBSA had to protect their single prospect. COSATU and others had a ball with Cronje, “Oh this white man that we trust so much is full of corruption. Bring him to his knees”. To protect the invested interest by Pakistan cricket in the international arena, the ICC decided it would be safer and far less expensive to just give Darrell Hair the rap on the knuckles for the spectacle.
Then we have today’s news. Malcolm Speed has been ejected for sticking up for his beliefs as well as choosing to do the right thing. He has publicly declared that there is a financial crisis in Zimbabwe cricket and that ICC needs to step in. Ray Mali disagrees, saying that ICC should just overlook the multitude of discrepancies that resulted from the KPMG audit.
How typical. If you don’t follow the leader and what he says, whether right or wrong, you’re gone. I applaud Messrs Speed and Hair for doing the right thing and for braving out the solitude of being the very few who choose to do such.
Well done to Imtiaaz Patel for making the correct decision by not joining the ICC as their new CEO. Not sure what to say for Haroon Lorgat, but good luck to him.
Tags: badenhorst, coloured, cricket, employers, Hair, ICC, malcolm, patel
