Michael Brown quits CA post

Michael Brown, second-in-command to Cricket Australia's chief executive James Sutherland, has quit his post after nine years to oversee the organisation of the AFC Asian Cup football tournament to held in Australia in 2015.

Officially billed as general manager, cricket operations, Brown's role was reduced as one of the key outcomes of the Argus review, resulting in the employment of the former rugby international Pat Howard as CA's team performance manager.

His departure leaves Sutherland as the last remaining senior figure in the CA hierarchy, after a year of profound changes to the structure and personnel of cricket operations.

Previously, Brown had been the most senior man directly responsible for the progress of the national team, and had overseen appointments including those of Tim Nielsen as coach, Andrew Hilditch as chairman of selectors, and Greg Chappell as head of the Centre of Excellence and more recently national talent manager/selector.

Other appointments under Brown's watch included the recruitment of Troy Cooley as bowling coach, and his replacement this year by Craig McDermott. He also spoke with Rod Marsh in mid-year about the possibility of a role on the selection panel.

However he was less involved in the appointments of the new support structure around the Australian team, including Howard, the national selector John Inverarity, and the coach Mickey Arthur.

Following nine years in cricket, Brown said he was looking forward to a change of scene. Prior to his appointment at CA, he had worked as an AFL club administrator.

"This is shaping as the most exciting and challenging role of my career," Brown said. "The scale and scope of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup makes it one of world football's biggest and most important events. I'm honoured to have been appointed as CEO and look forward to helping build a world-class organising team."

Brown will exit CA's Melbourne office for the final time in January.