Morgan stands unopposed as ECB chairman

Following the mass exodus of senior officials at the England & Wales Cricket Board, a semblance of stability was achieved yesterday, as David Morgan was named as chairman for another two years.

Morgan has been embroiled in the Zimbabwe crisis for much of the year, but his candidature was unopposed as the closing date for nominations was reached. He now needs to be formally endorsed by MCC and the First-Class Forum, a process that will not be completed until September 9.

It has been a troubling year for Morgan, whose passive style of leadership has sometimes been at odds with the needs of the hour, and he was widely perceived to have been outmanoeuvred by some of the more confrontational members of the ICC as the Zimbabwe situation escalated.

Nevertheless, the ECB has had enough upheaval for one year, and with the departures of Tim Lamb, the chief executive, Mark Sibley, the commercial director, and John Read, the director of communications, it was decided that further changes at the top would be detrimental to the health of English cricket. The team's on-field success no doubt helped cement his place.

Morgan's deputy, Mike Soper, the former Surrey chairman, had intended to stand against him for the second time, but thought better of it in the interests of continuity. Morgan's second term of office will start on January 1 next year.