Cricket: Moller adds cricket to portfolio

Chris Moller, New Zealand Cricket's new chairman. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Former Rugby Union chief executive Chris Moller has added cricket to his portfolio by being named New Zealand Cricket's new chairman.

Moller has succeeded Alan Isaac at yesterday's NZC board meeting.

Isaac is stepping up to the vice- president's job with the International Cricket Council and was obliged to relinquish the New Zealand role.

Moller still has a hand in rugby operations as a board member of the Rugby New Zealand 2011 Ltd, running next year's World Cup. He is also a director of NZX Ltd, Meridien Energy and SkyCity Entertainment Group.

The 56-year-old, an NZC board member since September 2008, will see a bit of Isaac in the months ahead as he will be New Zealand's delegate to the ICC.

"I thank the NZC board for having chosen me to represent them as chairman," he said yesterday. "I am determined to work closely with our players, administrators, volunteers and commercial partners to drive the game forward in New Zealand."

And Moller praised Wellington businessman Isaac's "very significant" contribution to NZC.

"Alan is held in high esteem throughout the cricketing world and his reputation as a hard-working, no-nonsense individual will be invaluable in his (ICC) position."

The other leading candidate for the NZC job was former test spinner and board member Stephen Boock.

• Central Districts have received a second blow to their Champions League ambitions yesterday with international allrounder Jacob Oram to undergo knee surgery.

Oram returned early from New Zealand's tri-series in Sri Lanka with a damaged patella tendon. His progress will be monitored for four to six weeks. "I've been told that I should be realistically targeting the Pakistan series at the end of the year," Oram said.

"It's frustrating more than anything but I've been through this before," he said. "I'm confident I can return injury free following a course of rehabilitation."

CD were yesterday given approval to replace Oram with Ben Wheeler. Wheeler, 18, made his first-class debut earlier this year.

CD had already lost top batsman Ross Taylor, who was taken away by his Indian Premier League team Royal Challengers Bangalore to be part of their Champions League squad. The CL starts in South Africa on September 10.