KEY POINTS:
Just when you thought it was impossible, the International Cricket Council's (ICC) credibility sank even further yesterday.
Malcolm Speed, their beleaguered chief executive, was asked to leave after an irreconcilable falling out with president Ray Mali.
Only Speed's family would describe his stewardship as flawless but he was at least trying to force an endgame in the thorny issue of Zimbabwe. But trying to out those who run the game there cost him his job. Go figure.
The whispers that the board were trying to oust Speed had last week increased to a tumult and the removal was, in contrast to the way the ICC conducts most of its business, swift.
"The ICC President, Ray Mali, and the CEO Speed have agreed that Malcolm Speed will be on paid leave from April 30 until the end of his contract term on July 4 2008," an ICC statement from its president-elect David Morgan said.
"This change of plan is the result of a fundamental breakdown in the relationship between the CEO and a number of (ICC) board members, including the president, over a variety of issues that include Zimbabwe."
Speed had until the ICC annual conference in July in his job before it was passed on to South African Haroon Lorgat. There is no way of avoiding the fact this is essentially a black-and-white issue.
Speed wanted punitive action taken against Zimbabwe Cricket after a KPMG audit found serious financial irregularities in the African nation's books. Mali, an ally of Zimbabwe Cricket boss Peter Chingoka, who is in turn a Robert Mugabe stooge, wanted no action and for the audit to remain confidential once there was no proof of "criminal wrongdoing".
So Zimbabwe, despite being unable to field anything resembling a test team of late and have failed to pay some players going back years, get to keep a seat on the 10-man board because they have agreed to vote with the ever-powerful Asian bloc. It goes beyond Machiavellian into a realm sport should never have to enter.
South Africa has Zimbabwe's back; the BCCI, Indian cricket's governing body, entertains them in exchange for their votes; the other Asian countries can't afford to not back India. There's six out of 10 just like that. The once all-powerful Australia-England axis effectively emasculated, much to the delight of former subcontinent colonials who spent decades being patronised and bullied.
In the words of Heath Mills, a potential adversary of Speed's in his role as manager of the New Zealand Players' Association, Speed had done "a pretty good job but trying to manage the ICC board is like trying to herd cats".
The international players' associations are surveying their players to determine whether they have any confidence in the ICC to run the game. The results will be out later this year but you can bet your wife and sister that the answer will be a resounding no.
Change is desperately needed. A fully independent, six-member board would be able to deal with its Darrell Hairs, Steve Bucknors and Zimbabwes, with a great deal more alacrity and consistency.
Will it happen? Probably not.
There are too many small men with large egos who have too much at stake.
