Historic changes to Australian cricket governance

Melbourne: Cricket Australia (CA) made historic changes by electing Jacquie Hey, David Peever and Kevin Roberts as the Board`s first independent Directors, besides making constitutional and by-law changes at its Annual General Meeting here on Thursday.

Australian cricket authorised the most significant changes to the Board`s governance since the organisation was set up in 1905, setting it on a path towards having a fully independent Board of nine directors by 2017. A nine-member board consisting of six state-based representatives and the new independent directors will hold its inaugural board meeting here tomorrow, replacing CA`s historic 14-member Board of Directors appointed by State Cricket Associations. Under changes formally ratified today, CA`s new Board will start moving in 2015 towards becoming a board of nine fully-independent directors by 2017. "It is an historic day for Australian Cricket," CA Chairman Wally Edwards told the AGM today. He thanked fellow directors and State Cricket Associations for the nature and outcome of often complex discussions over the last year and said Australian cricket owed CA directors, particular those who were effectively voting themselves out of jobs they loved. "The discussion across Australian cricket has been characterised by a willingness to think and act collectively in the best interests of the game we love and serve," he said. He also noted on-field success is not possible unless cricket has its off-field game in good order. "Off-field success doesn`t guarantee on-field success but is a necessary starting point," he said. CA`s AGM also voted today to accept the Board`s annual report and financial accounts. PTI