Cricket Australia board endorses Earl Eddings for second term as chairman

Earl Eddings has been unanimously endorsed for a second term as Cricket Australia chairman by the board, but if elected he will stand down during the period with a deputy chair to be appointed next year as part of a succession plan.

There has been division in the game around the prospect for a second term for Eddings with New South Wales opposed to the move while Queensland have been critical of him over the last 18 months.

Eddings' endorsement by the board has to be ratified by CA's nominations committee before it is put to a vote at the AGM next month. For him not to be voted back in as an independent director four out of the six states would need to oppose.

"It is a privilege to chair the Board of Cricket Australia and be part of the team steering our sport through one of the most challenging periods in its history," Eddings said. "While I am grateful for the Board's support for my nomination for a second term as Chair, I recognise the benefits for our sport of leadership renewal and fully support the smooth succession plan endorsed by the Board."

Eddings took over from David Peever in 2018 amid the fallout to the Newlands ball-tampering scandal.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo last year, Eddings said: "Succession is really critical and we're always talking about succession. My comment around longevity is you don't want to stay around too long, however with the dynamic of the ICC, it takes a long time to build relationships and if we didn't spend time building a relationship with India this summer could have been in jeopardy."

The CA board has cited the need for continuity amid the ongoing uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Earl has provided much-needed leadership stability and strategic vision during the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic," the board said. "We believe that as we continue to face a challenging and uncertain environment, it is critical to have the stability and proven experience to enable the Board to maintain its strong relationships with the national and international cricket community, our valued sponsors, broadcast partners and all other stakeholders.

"As we work with the State and Territory Cricket Associations on the future of our sport, we understand it is important to identify the next leadership phase for cricket and provide the appropriate support and development to ensure a smooth transition of Board leadership."