Cricket: Top ICC job for NZer

New Zealand Cricket chairman Alan Isaac. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The International Cricket Council last night confirmed New Zealand Cricket chairman Alan Isaac as its vice president.

Isaac will be taking up the position in controversial circumstances after ICC member nations rejected Australia and New Zealand's original nomination of former Prime Minister John Howard earlier this month.

New Zealand's original candidate Sir John Anderson who competed with Howard for the original nomination said he no longer wanted the position.

Issac, an experienced cricket administrator, became chairman of New Zealand Cricket in 2008 and as a player he captained Wellington's second team for three years.

Isaac said in a statement that receiving the role was a great honour and he looked forward to serving the game of cricket at international level.

"I am looking forward to serving our great sport at international level and protecting the primacy of international cricket," he said.

The position is elected on a cycle and Isaac is set to hold vice-presidency from 2010-12 before ascending to the presidency of ICC in two years time.

ICC President Sharad Pawar said he looked forward to working with Isaac during his tenure as ICC Vice-President from 2010 to 2012.

"I am delighted to announce that Alan Isaac's nomination for the role of ICC Vice-President was unanimously endorsed by the ICC Executive Board and the full ICC Council," he said.

"I know that Alan is a highly-respected cricket administrator having contributed significantly to New Zealand Cricket as well as the ICC," Pawar said.

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC Chief Executive, added his congratulations and said Isaac would help build the game of cricket internationally.

"I am looking forward to working with him and I know that together with Sharad Pawar they will look to enhance the international game as well as the unity that exists within the game." Lorgat said.

Based on an international rotation system, it was New Zealand and Australia's turn to jointly nominate a vice-president candidate to the ICC.

New Zealand originally wanted Anderson for the vice-presidency but Australia pushed for Howard, who won the nomination after the two boards established an independent committee to resolve the issue.

Once Howard was rejected by the ICC, Anderson said he did not want to be forwarded as an alternative nominee.

Howard's nomination was voted down at an ICC executive board meeting in Singapore in early July by six of 10 test-playing nations voting mainly along racial lines.

His election should have been a formality as, by convention, the vice-presidency changes hands every two years on a rotational basis.

Isaac will step down from his role as chairman of New Zealand Cricket.

- NZPA