ICC Development Manager appointed CEO of Auckland Cricket Association

ICC Development Manager Andrew Eade is leaving to take up the role of Chief Executive Officer with the Auckland Cricket Association the ICC announced today.

ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said that he was disappointed to be losing a person of Eade's calibre but recognised that it was a terrific opportunity for him to advance his career.

"I am extremely sorry to see Andrew leave. Over the past three years, he has been the driving force behind the Development Program and many of our recent successes in this area are attributable to him," said Speed.

"On the other hand, the Auckland job is an excellent opportunity for him. He is ready to take on a Chief Executive's role and I am sure that he will prove to be a great success."

Eade, who is a New Zealander, said that he was looking forward to returning home to take up the new role following three enjoyable years at the ICC.

"I have enjoyed the challenges and opportunities that my three years with the ICC has given me. I've had the chance to help the game take root and grow in many new countries around the world and to become stronger in other places where it had already been played," said Eade.

"Malcolm and the ICC's Development Committee have given me every support in carrying out this work and I would like to thank them and all the people I have worked with around the world for making my time at the ICC so enjoyable. I have also been fortunate to manage a team of terrific development professionals, both in London and the five ICC regional offices, and much of the credit for the progress made is due to their dedication and hard work.

"The time is now right for me to return to New Zealand and I am looking forward to helping Auckland cricket become even stronger and to helping it contribute to the success of the game in New Zealand."

Eade took on the Development Manager role in 2000 after working as the ICC's Development Officer for the East Asia Pacific Region, based at the Cricket Australia headquarters in Melbourne for the previous eighteen months.

In his three years with the ICC, he has overseen the growth of the game around the world with the ICC growing from 64 to 89 members during his time.

He has implemented a more strategic approach to the Development of the game in emerging countries and, in conjunction with the ICC's High Performance Coach, Bob Woolmer, has developed and delivered advanced coaching programs in leading Associate countries that have helped improve the standard of the game outside the Test playing countries.

Eade will finish with the ICC on 3 October 2003 and commence with the Auckland Cricket Association on 13 October 2003.

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