Results of ICC Annual Meetings

The ICC today announced outcomes from its week of meetings at Lord's, including Friday's annual conference.

ICC Presidential succession

Following a recommendation by the ICC's Governance Review Committee, the ICC Annual Conference agreed to the following, subject to the formality of amending the organisation's Memorandum and Articles of Association:

Mr Morgan will now be expected to relinquish his role within the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in keeping with the existing policy that the President and the person chosen to succeed him should not represent a Member at the same time as holding those offices.

Mr Pawar will do likewise with his role within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 12 months' time.

ICC President Ray Mali said: "I am delighted that the issue of the Presidential succession has been resolved.

"We now have certainty in terms of who will head up our game for the next five years and, building on the certainty we already have with our range of events and our long-term broadcasting agreement with ESPN STAR Sports, this is great news.

"The rotation policy has already brought us a succession of high-quality Presidents of the ICC in the past and the stability this new arrangement creates will allow us to move forward and make our strong sport even stronger."

Mr Morgan said: "I am delighted and greatly honoured to take on the role of ICC President Elect and, from June 2008, the ICC Presidency.

"My immediate priority over the next few weeks is to complete unfinished work with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and also to discuss with the ECB an orderly and timely process for the election of my successor as Chairman.

"Thereafter my priority will be to support current President Ray Mali for the remainder of his term in office.

"I am hugely grateful to Ray because it was one year ago that, as President of Cricket South Africa, he made the first approach to me to become a candidate for the role of ICC President. I have appreciated his support throughout this whole process and look forward to following him for the benefit of world cricket when the time comes."

Mr Pawar said: "I am grateful to the ICC Members for having the confidence in me to take on the responsibility of high office within the ICC.

"I am particularly happy with the approach taken by the Governance Review Committee in looking to resolve the issue of the succession and I believe David Morgan and myself have readily accepted those proposals in a sporting manner.

"After all, we are all part of the cricketing fraternity and it is the responsibility of us all to preserve a healthy atmosphere within the game, as exists at the moment through a united ICC Board.

"I am happy to pledge my full support to the ICC as we move forward together at an exciting time for cricket."

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) reported it is not yet ready to return to Test cricket; it was agreed it would report back when it felt it was ready to step up so that the ICC Board could make a decision on the matter.

In relation to allegations of financial irregularities leveled against ZC, it was agreed there would be an independent audit of ZC's accounts by an internationally recognized firm.

The results of that audit will be presented to the next meeting of the ICC Board, set for October 2007 in Dubai.

Volume of cricket

The ICC Board noted the views of the ICC Cricket Committee in relation to this matter and directed ICC management to produce a draft international program which should:

• Be fair and equitable to all sides requiring all Full Members to play each other once at home and once away over the life cycle of the Future Tours Program (FTP)
• Introduce a limit to the numbers of Test matches, ODIs and T20 matches sides may play in any one series
• Provide for two "icon" series, between Australia and England and India and Pakistan to take place every two years
• Restrict to a maximum of seven the number of Twenty20 internationals that any international side can play in a year (excluding ICC events)
• Any additional matches or series scheduled would be considered to fall outside the FTP and must have no impact on it in order to be confirmed

Once produced, the draft program will then be reviewed by the ICC Board, although possible implementation, if appropriate, may be delayed due to members' existing commercial arrangements.

Review of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007

Three reports are currently being prepared by the following groups:

• ICC management, including feedback from all 16 team managements that took part in the tournament
• ICC CWC
• West Indies Cricket Board/CARICOM

There was general agreement that future ICC Cricket World Cups (CWC) should not exceed five weeks in duration.

The format of future ICC CWCs will be debated at the next meeting of the ICC Board, scheduled for late October.

Changes to playing conditions

The following changes to playing conditions were agreed:

• An additional fielder will be allowed outside the fielding circle during the second or third power play in a ODI
• If a ODI innings is reduced, the numbers of overs making up each of the three power plays shall be reduced proportionately
• If a bowler bowls a front foot no-ball in a ODI, the following delivery will be deemed a free hit and the batsman cannot be dismissed by the bowler from that delivery
• There will be a mandatory change of ball after 35 overs of each innings in a ODI; the replacement will be a clean used ball
• Minimum boundary sizes in all international matches will be increased with the square boundary measuring at least 150 yards from one side of the ground to the other (minimum 65 yards on one side; previous total minimum size was 140 yards); and the straight boundaries 70 yards at both ends (previous minimum was 65 yards); maximum boundaries to be used allowing for three yards between boundary rope and advertising boards up to a maximum of 90 yards from the centre of the pitch

These changes will come into effect on 1 October 2007.

Umpiring task force

Further to a recommendation by the ICC Cricket Committee, it was agreed that this task force be formed with a view to enhancing the already high standards of officiating.

The Chief Executives' Committee, in its meeting on Sunday and Monday, felt the process should be chaired by a member of the ICC Board with that person having a background in Human Resources. It was agreed by the Board that Mr Morgan would chair the group.

The task force will look to determine:

• How best to structure the Emirates Elite and International panels
• The support structures for the panel
• Umpire remuneration levels and workloads
• Policies for the selection and appointment of umpires to panels and matches, including the issue of neutrality

New Members

Cameroon, The Falkland Islands, Peru and Swaziland were all granted Affiliate Membership; this means the ICC now has 101 Members.

Jersey was granted Associate Membership.

The ICC Board consists of the Chairman or President from each of the ten Full Members plus three Associate Member representatives. Also present at ICC Board meetings is the ICC President, who chairs proceedings, and the ICC Chief Executive.