Melbourne: Australian and New Zealand cricket boards resented the rejection of John Howard's bid for the ICC Vice-President's post, saying the former Australian Prime Minister was the best possible candidate for the role.
Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket said in a joint statement that they would start discussion all over again to agree on a new candidate within the August 31 deadline set by the International Cricket Council.
"Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket...were deeply disappointed that their joint nomination of former Australian Prime Minister, the Honourable Mr John Howard AC, for the position of ICC Vice-President had not been supported by the ICC Executive Board when it met in Singapore today," the joint statement said.
"The Chairmen of the two boards, Jack Clarke and Alan Isaac, said that Australia and New Zealand had nominated the best possible candidate from the region under the ICC's stipulated process," the statement read.
Stressing that the former Australian Prime Minister had excellent credentials as "international statesman", the boards said Howard was nominated after a comprehensive selection process.
"We jointly nominated Mr Howard as a candidate as he possesses significant leadership and administrative skills. We believe cricket needs to continue to seek excellence and dispassionate independence in the game's global governance.
"We were delighted that the most senior world figure ever considered for this role agreed to accept the nomination," the boards said.
"We remain convinced it is reasonable for his nomination to be supported by the ICC Executive Board and we are deeply disappointed by the position taken at today's meeting," they said.
"The ICC Executive Board has now invited us to resubmit a nomination by 31 August. Firstly, we shall need to go back to our respective boards and then for Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket to agree upon a combined approach. It is premature for us to make any further comment," they added.
Howard's candidature was thwarted by the Afro-Asian bloc in the ICC Executive Board meeting in Singapore with the Australian finding support only from his home country, New Zealand and England.
