LONDON (AP):DAVID MORGAN of England will be the next president of cricket's world governing body in 2008 and will be succeeded two years later by Sharad Pawar of India.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has returned to its policy of rotating the presidency, so Pawar will take over from Morgan in 2010, a year before India co-hosts the World Cup with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
After meetings between Morgan, Pawar and ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed, the ICC announced yesterday that Morgan will take over in June 2008. He will have to give up his post as England and Wales Cricket Board's chairman.
Acting president Ray Mali, who took over after the death of Percy Sonn five weeks ago, is due to step down then.
"My immediate priority over the next few weeks is to complete unfinished work with the England and Wales Cricket Board and also to discuss with the ECB an orderly and timely process for the election of my successor as chairman," Morgan said. "Thereafter, my priority will be to support current (ICC) president Ray Mali for the remainder of his term in office.
Hugely grateful
"I am hugely grateful to Ray because it was one year ago that, as president of Cricket South Africa, he made the first approach to me to become a candidate for the role of ICC president. I have appreciated his support throughout this whole process and look forward to following him for the benefit of world cricket when the time comes."
Pawar said he looked forward to taking over from Morgan.
"I am grateful to the ICC members for having the confidence in me to take on the responsibility of high office within the ICC," he said. "I am happy to pledge my full support to the ICC as we move forward together at an exciting time for cricket."
Mani, who steps down at the end of May next year, said the two appointments hadgiven the world game a stable next five years.
"I am delighted that the issue of the presidential succession has been resolved," Mani told a news conference at The Oval. "We now have certainty in terms of who will head up our game for the next five years and, building on the certainty we already have with our range of events and our long-term broadcasting agreement with ESPN STAR Sports, this is great news.
"The rotation policy has already brought us a succession of high-quality presidents of the ICC in the past, and the stability this new arrangement creates will allow us to move forward and make our strong sport even stronger."
The ICC also decided that presidential terms will be limited to two years with no option for a third.
Among other decisions and recommendations agreed by the ICC:
There was general agreement that future World Cups should not exceed five weeks. This year's World Cup in the Caribbean lasted almost seven. The format of future tournaments will be debated at the next meeting of the ICC board, scheduled for late October.
If a bowler bowls a front foot no-ball in a one-day international, the following delivery will be deemed a free hit and the batsman cannot be dismissed by the bowler.
There will be a mandatory change of ball after 35 overs of each innings in a one-day international, the replacement being a used ball.
Minimum boundary sizes in all international matches will be increased. The square boundary will measure at least 150 yards (137 metres) from one side of the ground compared with current 140 yards (128m). The straight boundaries will be increased from 65 yards (60m) 70 yards (64m) at both ends.
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) reported it is not yet ready to return to Test cricket. It was agreed ZC would report when it felt ready to step up so that the ICC board could make a decision on the matter.
Cameroon, the Falkland Islands, Peru and Swaziland were all granted affiliate membership; this means the ICC now has 101 members. Jersey was granted Associate Membership.
