Published: Oct 30, 2015, 11:22 AM (IST)
Edited: Oct 30, 2015, 11:22 AM (IST)
Sydney: Retired mining chief David Peever has become the new chairman of Cricket Australia, the organisation said on Friday, replacing the outgoing Wally Edwards. Peever, 58, the former managing director of Rio Tinto Australia, was elected at the cricket body’s Annual General Meeting in Melbourne. Peever, a Cricket Australia director since 2012, becomes the first chairman in CA’s history to be elected to the position independent of state interests. He takes over after the end of Edwards’s four-year term, which was marked by changes to the game’s governance and national financial model. ALSO READ: Bizarre: Cricket Australia smash a record 503/1 before Sydney pitch is declared unfit
“This is a key time for Australian cricket. A lot of significant change has occurred for the better on and off the field,” Peever said in a statement. “But in an ever changing world, I believe we have to work harder than ever before to maintain cricket’s privileged place as Australia’s traditional summer pastime.” Co-staging a successful World Cup this year with New Zealand helped boost CA’s annual revenue to Aus$380.9 million (US$270 million), putting it in a position to invest strongly in the development of the game.
Earlier, Cricket Australia (CA) said that it intends to proceed with next month’s contentious first-ever day-night Test despite player unease over the experimental pink ball to be used. The historic Test is scheduled for Adelaide Oval on November 27 between Australia and New Zealand in a move authorities hope will boost television audiences and usher in a lucrative new era for the five-day game. Manufacturer Kookaburra said it has tried to sculpt a suitable ball for the occasion — something that is visible under lights but behaves similar to a traditional red ball. But the innovation has been criticised by players, with new Australia skipper Steve Smith saying on Wednesday he had trouble seeing the seam after batting against it for the first time. ALSO READ: Ryan Harris: Cricketers should learn to adapt to pink ball
