Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat to leave ICC

Haroon Lorgat will leave the International Cricket Council when his term as the Chief Executive of the cricketing body expires next year, he was offered an extension last year but he chose to stay on only until 2012.

Haroon Lorgat will leave the International Cricket Council when his term as the Chief Executive of the cricketing body expires next year, he was offered an extension last year but he chose to stay on only until 2012.

The 51 year old South African took charge in 2008 right when the Spot-fixing scam broke out and has also seen out a successful CWC2011 in the subcontinent. 

He however failed to employ the proposed Test Championship within 2013 as the proposal has been postponed, he said that he will step down after the ICC annual convention next year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Lorgat will be best remembered for stepping up the ICC anti corruption after the tainted trio from Pakistan were found guilty.

The ICC suspended the trio in February for their involvement in the fixing scandal for a minimum period of five years.

"In 2010, I felt there was much work for me to complete during 2011 which included protecting the integrity of the game and restoring the reputation and image of the ICC," Lorgat said in a statement. 

"Having dealt decisively with the spot-fixing issues, delivered a highly successful ICC Cricket World Cup and adopted a new global strategy, I feel the time is right to move on," he said

He admitted that he was disappointed very much for not being able bring out the Test Championship as planned in 2013 which was later postponed to 2017. The ICC attempted to move the Champions Trophy from 2013 for the Test championship in England that year but the idea was dropped due to prior commitments from Test teams.

The ICC failed to make the Decision Review System (DRS) mandatory for all nations, but the executive board left it to the concern nations to take a call on it.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been a strong opponent for the DRS technology, especially the Hot Spot, however the ICC confirmed that DRS will be employed in all of its global events. 

ICC President Sharad Pawar said Lorgat leaves the body in a stronger position than when he took over three years ago.

"(He) has steered the ICC through some tricky situations, such as the rescheduling of the 2008 ICC Champions Trophy, the location of the ICC Headquarters in Dubai, the response to the Lahore attack, several doping issues, the recent spot-fixing hearings and the highly successful ICC Cricket World Cup 2011," he said.

"I am satisfied that his contribution to the ICC and to cricket leaves us in a solid position."

The ICC will soon begin advertising for a successor.