John Howard facing a strong opposition in ICC Vice-President election
Tomorrow, June 30th is going to be a crucial day for Australia’s former Prime Minister John Howard, as the election for ICC’s vice-president slot is scheduled to take place. Howard, as a Prime Minister has served Australia for 17 years through thick and thin. But he will have to struggle for every inch as he hunts for the candidature of vice president of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Seven out of a total of ten cricketing nations – who are full members of the International Cricket Council – have declined to support the successful Australian politician because he does not have a cricketing background. The ICC vice president takes over the president seat after completing a two-year tenure. The ICC is having its annual conference at the Raffles City Convention Centre in Singapore to pick their next vice-president.
A member of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), while talking to the media from London claimed that there was frantic negotiations going on behind the scenes on Sunday to convince the African cricketing countries. Zimbabwe, South Africa, West Indies and Kenya have been asked to review their opinion about Howard’s candidature as the next ICC chief. However, the Africans are stuck to their stand that Howard is not the right choice. These countries have raised their concerns regarding Howard by saying, “the racial overhang was so strong; you could cut it with a knife”.
Zimbabwe and South Africa are bitterly working against Howard’s nomination. It was under Howard’s government that Australia escorted the demand for restrictions on Zimbabwe for its strategies against white land owners.
The Government of Zimbabwe expressed its views about Howard’s election by saying, “He is a wolf in sheepskin, with the sole aim of returning the sport (cricket) to the dark ages where it was a preserve of the Anglo-Saxon countries and using it to settle political scores”.
He has nothing to give to the sport that could spread a message of unanimity against his prejudiced thoughts. He is the same person who, in 2007, did not allow the Kangaroos tour Zimbabwe revealing that the country was not safe to visit. And later on, the Australian side paid a $2 million fine to the ICC to ensure that the tour was abandoned.
Cricket Australia has threatened Zimbabwe, if they did not change their opinion. As a consequence to this, they would not get the opportunity to host 2011 bilateral A-series that would lend a hand to the African country re-enter first-class Test cricket.
India has thrown a strong opposition to Howard’s bid, not because he has been exemplified as a ‘cricketing tragic’ but also because the BCCI can understand the mood.
However, Sharad Pawar, who just took over as the President of ICC, is ardent to get John Howard elected. A BCCI source said, “He says it will be an honour for India to get a Prime Minister of Australia to work under him”.
However, Shashank Manohar, the President of BCCI has opposed the Australian’s appointment and the working committee of the BCCI has already reached a consensus that India will not vote in favour of Howard.
BCCI has persuaded Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to join the opposition block against Howard’s bid, as if the Lankans need to be persuaded. Howard got the Lankan rivalry back in 2004 when he described Sri Lanka’s magical spinner Muttiah Muralitharan as a ‘chucker’. Muttiah Muralitharan is the highest wicket taker in Test and ODI cricket and is considered as ‘the best off-spin bowler in cricketing history’.
Sri Lanka has a bit stronger position as compared to their South Asian counterparts as Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister has the veto power over the ICC. Despite the edge that Sri Lanka has, the minister is unlikely to use his power where the emotions of the nation are involved.
Pakistan is also likely to join its continental counterparts on the 30th June. Earlier, the PCB sought government’s advice and has been given a free hand to do what they feel is best for the future of Pakistan as well as world cricket.
Howard’s nomination was jointly filed by the Australian and New Zealand Cricket Boards and England is backing the bid. All the three nations are firm that they will not withdraw from Howard’s bid.
Cricket Australia's Chief Executive James Sutherland along with Chairman Jack Clarke lobbying in Singapore to get sufficient support to put in John Howard as the vice-president of ICC in ICC's executive board meeting on June 29-30.
Why is Howard so fanatical for the candidature is a question which remains unanswered. It seems that it is at the will of a former CEO of British Airways that Howard’s name got prevalence. Australian businessman Rod Eddington has led the campaign for Howard’s nomination, most probably spotting a business breakthrough in world of cricket. With little or no support for the former Australian premier, one can safely assume of a strong ‘no’ to John Howard.
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