Simon Katich said that he is not currently prepared to join the Cricket Australia board.GETTY IMAGES
Former Australian cricket int'l Simon Katich ruled out joining the Cricket Australia board which lost Dir Mark Taylor and Chair David Peever "within days of each other as the fall out from the cultural review rocked the Australian game," according to Peter Lalor of THE AUSTRALIAN. The board met on Monday in Melbourne and is "attempting to deal with the crisis situation." The directors also have to deal with a submission from the Australian Cricketers' Association calling for the bans on Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft to be reduced "in light of suggestions in the review that the corporate culture was partially to blame." The diminished board is hoping to deal with its own leadership crisis first, but "indications are the penalties will remain." The board is "leaning toward choosing a new chair from among the seven remaining directors." Katich was mentioned by Taylor during his resignation as a "person who might make a good director." Katich said that he would "not be prepared to take on the role at this stage in his life" as he already has coaching commitments, two media roles and two young sons. He said, "I've got too much on my plate" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 11/7).
UNDER WRAPS: In Sydney, Phil Lutton reported a cultural review into the workings of the Australian Rugby Union commissioned in '15 "will remain under lock and key," with the body having "no intention of releasing its details to the public." The review was conducted by Simon Longstaff of the Ethics Centre, which was "also behind the recent look behind the scenes" of CA. It is believed rugby's review did not "turn up anything near as damning as the cricket report" but did show a "disconnect in certain values and objectives" within the code. The review was "hardly a secret," but a Rugby Australia spokesperson said that the findings were "never intended to be for consumption" beyond its walls and were the basis of the '15 plan (THE AGE, 11/6).
