The administrative reforms of Australian cricket will take longer to implement than hoped as the states put up hurdles.
Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards is still confident an independent commission will be put in place, but says many complex issues will take time to work through.
The CA board met on Monday to discuss the states’ responses to the Crawford/Carter report into the governance of the sport, which last December recommended cutting the 14 state-affiliated members to nine independents.
While the mood among the states was positive and they were willing to reform, Edwards said it will take time.
“The reality is there are significant constitutional issues that need to be grappled with,” he said.
“These issues will take time. There’s no rush from the board point of view.
“There is still a good desire around the board table and there is a lot of goodwill.”
Edwards admitted the board had been too ambitious in declaring in December that it would put forward a draft of its proposed constitutional changes at Monday’s meeting.
But he said he was sure an independent commission will be endorsed by the states.
“I’m still very confident. I don’t believe we have any hurdles that are insurmountable,” he said.
“The big issues that have come out of these first round of responses are constitutional issues that will need a little bit of work on.”
He said he believed the bigger states were prepared to give up their power on the CA board to make way for a more independent model.
“Overall, yes. There’s always issues, it gets down to the fine print,” he said.
The Crawford/Carter review recommended a new board consist of one member from each of the six states, with three others being appointed on their skills, regardless of their origin.
Currently, NSW, Victoria and South Australia each have three places on the board, Western Australia and Queensland have two votes each and Tasmania one.
The CA board will next meet in April when Edwards hoped “we might be able to start getting close to what might be resolutions.”
