Cricket: Howard ICC bid shaky

John Howard's claim to the ICC presidency is looking even more tenuous with news last night that Sri Lanka will not support his candidacy.

Zimbabwe and South Africa were driving a bid to have his nomination by the Australian and New Zealand cricket boards overturned. Indian Sharad Pawar, who Howard would serve under for two years before taking the reins in 2012, is also believed to be opposed to Howard. Now Sri Lanka Cricket have entered the fray. Interim committee chairman Somachandra de Silva told the Times of India that the organisation would not vote for someone who did not have a cricket background.

"I was of the opinion that it was wrong," de Silva said of Howard's nomination. "Anyone coming forward for ICC posts should be currently involved in cricket and not be a total outsider. In that respect, we would not be supporting the candidature of Howard for the vice-presidency."

Howard won the right to be Australasia's nomination, despite NZ Cricket supporting Sir John Anderson for the post.