Wallace appointed PCA chairman

Mark Wallace, the Glamorgan captain, is to succeed the former England batsman Vikram Solanki as chairman of the Professional Cricketers Association (PCA), the body that represents past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales.

Wallace will assume the role on January 30, replacing Solanki who has served successive two-year terms and stood in as interim chief executive before Angus Porter was appointed.

Solanki guided the PCA through a difficult period where match-fixing emerged as a significant problem in the UK, following spot-fixing in 2010 when Pakistan toured and the arrest of Mervyn Westfield earlier that year. The desire of players to be available for the IPL has also required careful negotiation with counties and the ECB.

Wallace's appointment will coincide with his 15th season as a first-class cricketer, having made his Glamorgan debut in 1999 and gone on to score 8,643 runs at 29.59 with 299 catches. He became Glamorgan captain last season and will continue to lead the four-day side in 2013.

"Mark is an outstanding choice to continue the good work Vikram has done, whilst adding a mark of his own." Porter said. "Vikram has seen the PCA through some challenging times, which makes us grateful for the contribution he has made over the last four years. He is a man of great character and integrity, universally respected throughout the game."

Wallace added: "Filling Vikram's sizeable shoes is a daunting challenge. I'm a big believer that the PCA is about the players - and by that I mean all the players, from the greenest rookies to the oldest pros. I look forward to playing my part in ensuring that the PCA continues to enhance the careers and lives of cricketers, past present and future."