Controversial Cricket Australia Chair David Peever resigned on Wednesday after "losing the support" of Cricket NSW, only days before Australia's first int'l match of the summer, according to Peter Lalor of THE AUSTRALIAN. Peever, who was re-elected to the A$200,000 ($144,100)-a-year job only a week before, told directors that he "would only serve with the unanimous support of the states." An emergency meeting of the board accepted Peever's resignation and appointed Earl Eddings as interim chair. A number of states, including Tasmania and South Australia, offered Peever their support. It is understood Peever is the first chair "to resign in such circumstances." He had been "under enormous pressure" since Monday's release of a "damning cultural review." The states initially were "promised they would be given access to the review but found themselves voting without seeing it." When they did, they were "given a limited chance to read the document, which was heavily redacted by Cricket Australia’s lawyers." The states "felt they had been duped" and "many were angry" that the head office had not let them see the uncensored report. Eddings, the deputy chair and former North Melbourne player, is the managing director of management consultant company Riskcom Group (THE AUSTRALIAN, 11/2). The BBC reported Eddings said that CA needed to "earn back the trust of the cricket community" (BBC, 11/1). REUTERS' Ian Ransom reported Peever "ultimately proved the architect of his downfall having commissioned the independent review." A CA spokesperson said that it would "decide on the process and a timetable" for the appointment of a new chair early next week. CA board member and former Australia captain Mark Taylor is "heavily backed to take on the permanent role," having "already been endorsed by a slew of the country's cricket luminaries." Former Australia captain Ian Chappell labeled CA's leadership a "joke" (REUTERS, 11/1).
WIDE OPEN RACE: In Sydney, Andrew Wu reported there is a "wide open race" to succeed Peever. Taylor "shapes as the highest profile candidate to take over" but Eddings and CA directors Jacquie Hey and John Harnden "loom as contenders." Taylor was "one of the more amiable board figures during last year's damaging pay dispute." But he "several conflicts of interest." His lack of business experience "may be an impediment." He recently signed a three-year deal with CA's former long-term TV partner, Nine. Taylor excused himself from board meetings when media rights were discussed, though as chair would be expected to address such issues. A former first-grade player and president for North Melbourne, Eddings became a CA director in '08 and remained after the changes to the board's structure in '12, "when it was streamlined" from 14 members to six plus three independents. The deputy chair is "traditionally" the favorite to take over, with Wally Edwards and Peever both serving in that position before ascending to the top job. Australian Grand Prix CEO Harnden "unsuccessfully applied" to be CEO, a role filled by Kevin Roberts, but "boasts strong business and cricket credentials." Hey, who joined the board as one of its first independents, made a "sound impression" alongside Peever at the release of The Ethics Centre's review on Monday. She would be the organization's first female chair (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 11/1).
