Colin Graves is all set to end his term as Chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on 31 August following the postponement of The Hundred to next year due to the ongoing Coronavirus crisis.
Graves, who has been serving as ECB chairman since May 2015, had recently agreed for an extension till November 2020 to oversee the inaugural season of the 100-ball tournament – The Hundred but the postponement of the tournament made him finish his tenure early.
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While Ian Watmore is expected to replace Graves as ECB chairman and his appointment will be ratified in the Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled later this month the outgoing chief is expected to take over as ICC's next chairman, replacing Shashank Manohar.
As per reports in PTI, Graves said in a statement on Friday (May 1), “With the launch of The Hundred unavoidably moved to 2021, I have reviewed last year’s extension of my term as Chair, and put a request to the Board to now finish early, on August 31.”
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He further added, “There is still much to be done in the coming months as I continue to lead the ECB during this challenging time. As we get closer to August, I will look forward to saying my farewells and sharing good wishes to all those I have worked alongside.”
Meanwhile, the ECB had unanimously approved Watmore's appointment as ECB chairman following a confidential review into allegations of misconduct during his 2018 tenure as a non-executive director of the English Football League (EFL) as he was accused of jeopardizing a broadcast deal.
On Watmore, Graves said: “It feels important to both the game and the ECB Board, to allow Ian Watmore to commence his role earlier than originally agreed. I have no doubt that his wealth of experience in the sport, business, and government will be invaluable as we navigate through this crisis.”
He signed off by saying, “There remains a long road ahead, but I have immense confidence in the excellent leadership of Tom Harrison, our Executive Management Team, and the ECB Board as they shape the direction of our response to Covid-19.”
(With PTI Inputs)
