Fairfax vice-captaincy story wrong

The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) today advised that a story appearing in the Fairfax papers today suggesting that the ACB Directors will consider the Australian team leadership positions at a Board Meeting in Melbourne this Wednesday, 25 October, was wrong.

ACB Chief Executive Malcolm Speed detailed the process by which the ACB appoints the captain and vice-captain and highlighted the fact that the issue was not on the agenda.

"This issue is not on the agenda for Wednesday and will not be considered until the selectors pick the team in mid-November," said Mr Speed.

"As most cricket followers are aware, the long standing convention is that the ACB Directors select the captain and vice-captain of the Australian team before the start of each tour or series.

"The equally clear convention is that before the ACB Directors even consider the leadership roles, it relies on the Australian selectors to nominate the team along with their preferred candidates for the captain and vice-captain positions.

"The First Ansett Australia Test of the summer is still a month away at it is likely that the team will not be selected for another three weeks.

"When the selectors have picked the team, the Directors will look at the nominated candidates and make their decision.

"Any suggestion of an alternate process is not based in fact."