New Zealand's Alan Isaac to be next world cricket chief

The International Cricket Council approve Australia and New Zealand's candidate who will succeed India's Sharad Pawar as president in mid-2012.

DUBAI // Alan Isaac will be the next head of world cricket after Australia and New Zealand finally had their candidate for the vice-presidency of the International Cricket Council (ICC) approved by the global governing body. Australia's former prime minister John Howard was rejected by the ICC before New Zealand's first choice John Anderson declined the nomination, leaving the way clear for his successor as New Zealand Cricket chairman to take the role.

Isaac, who will succeed India's Sharad Pawar as president in mid-2012 under the ICC's rotational policy, had his nomination for the post unanimously endorsed by the ICC executive board and the full ICC Council on Monday. "I don't feel like second or third pick and if you talk to anyone who knows me, I'm not a puppet, I am my own person," the 58-year-old told the Australian at the weekend. "I'd like to think I'm judged on what I achieve or what I don't achieve in two, three or four years' time."

Howard's rejection infuriated Cricket Australia, who refused to put forward another candidate after not being given an explanation for the snub. Isaac, who has been involved in cricket administration for 34 years, sympathised. "It's a little frustrating that countries weren't specific about why they didn't support John," he told the paper. "I was really disappointed with how the Howard nomination was handled. We put a lot of effort into that process and I believe John was a very good candidate.

"But we live in a democracy and we have to respect the views of other people. You move on." The refusal of Howard's nomination highlighted what many consider to be a domination of the ICC by Asian countries allied with South Africa and Zimbabwe. Isaac said he hoped his background in corporate mediation, as well as his experience of working with people in other countries in business would assist him in bringing the cricketing world closer together.

"I've had a bit of experience working with people of different nationalities with different interests and backgrounds," Isaac said. "I'm not saying that makes me an expert but I've got some experience of recognising that people come at things from different backgrounds. "We from Australia and New Zealand can be a little sheltered because we tend to do things the same way. "Other countries do things a different way and it still works for them so it's about appreciating other people, what they want and how they operate."

* Reuters