Colin Graves will step down from his role as ECB chairman earlier than planned, with a confirmed end date to his tenure of August 31.
His term had initially been due to run out in May 2020, but was extended to November 2020 in April 2019 to allow him to oversee the inaugural edition of The Hundred. With the new competition’s first season delayed until 2021, and Ian Watmore having been confirmed as his successor, Graves has requested to bring his stint to a close at the end of August.
“It feels important to both the game and the ECB Board, to allow Ian Watmore to commence his role earlier than originally agreed,” Graves said. “I have no doubt that his wealth of experience in sport, business and government will be invaluable as we navigate through this crisis
“I have been extremely heartened by how cricket has come together in these recent, unimaginable times. There remains a long road ahead, but I have immense confidence in the excellent leadership of Tom Harrison, our Executive Management Team and the ECB Board as they shape the direction of our response to COVID-19.
“It has been a privilege to work with so many passionate people across the game who are driven by their belief in cricket’s power to improve lives and connect communities.
“There is still much to be done in the coming months as I continue to lead the ECB during this challenging time. As we get closer to August I will look forward to saying my farewells and sharing good wishes to all those I have worked alongside.”
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Watmore has been confirmed as chair elect after a review into allegations of wrongdoing in his previous role as a non-executive director of the English Football League. The EFL had commissioned an independent inquiry into allegations that Watmore was involved in talks of forming a breakaway league that would leave behind Sky, the EFL’s broadcast partners, potentially jeopardising a £595m TV deal, but after reviewing the report that resulted from the inquiry, the ECB has found no evidence of wrongdoing.
