Dodemaide to step down as CEO of Cricket Victoria

Tony Dodemaide has announced that he will step down as the CEO of Cricket Victoria after the coming summer.

Dodemaide, the former Test fast bowler who took 281 Sheffield Shield wickets for Victoria during the 1980s and 90s, will leave Cricket Victoria at the end of April 2018 after a decade as CEO.

In a statement, Cricket Victoria said that the timing of Dodemaide's departure would allow him to oversee the 2017-18 season and the completion of the new Victorian Cricket and Community Centre project at the Junction Oval.

"Tony has been a wonderful servant for Victorian cricket, making an outstanding contribution as CEO on top of his decorated playing career for Footscray, Victoria and Australia," Cricket Victoria chairman Russell Thomas said. "He has led the transformation of Cricket Victoria from a traditional state association to a multi-faceted organisation with high energy and enthusiasm.

"As an administrator, he has overseen a decade of impressive on- and off-field achievements. These notably include the long-desired new home for Victorian cricket, arguably the most successful on-field period for the Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers in Victorian cricket history and strong Victorian representation in Australian teams."

Dodemaide said: "It has been a privilege and honour to be at the helm of Victorian cricket for over a decade. I am pleased to have contributed to both the successes and solving the many challenges that have arisen in the changing local and national cricket scenes during that time."

"Of course there will always be new challenges on the horizon, but for me the completion of, and transition to the new home of Victorian cricket at the Junction Oval - a facility that will set up the sport in this state for the next 50 years - is an obvious and appropriate time to pass on the baton for a new phase of leadership."

However, Dodemaide has also faced the ire of some club delegates over plans to introduce a fully independent Cricket Victoria board, and a plan to restructure the state's turf cricket associations has also drawn considerable opposition.