(CMC) Dave Cameron confirmed Friday he will be seeking to become the next head of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and will be asking Cricket West Indies (CWI), which he led for three terms, to back his nomination.
“It’s been really about the big three for a very, very long time. Hence, why I think I would definitely put my hat into the ring. But the other boards need to want a change and need to want to move world cricket forward,” he said in an interview with Nationwide Sports here.
Cameron will require the support of two full members of the ICC in his bid to succeed Shashank Manohar of India as chairman of cricket’s world governing body.
Asked whether he would be approaching CWI for one such endorsement, the former ICC executive committee member responded in the affirmative: “Absolutely. Of course I will ask the West Indies Cricket Board.”
Cameron, who lost the presidency of what was then called the West Indies Cricket Board to Ricky Skerrit in the March 2019 elections — in which he was seeking a fourth-consecutive term — last month sent a legal letter to the regional body seeking a copy of the report that was submitted after an audit of the board’s finances under his tenure was done last year on behalf of the new administration.
The 49-year-old former cricket administrator has questioned the credibility and fairness of that report.
In his interview with Nationwide Sports, Cameron dismissed suggestions that he was arrogant in his running of CWI’s affairs, which may have contributed to his shocking loss to Skerrit, a former Cabinet minister in St Kitts and Nevis.
The Jamaican insisted that his confidence was misconstrued as arrogance.
“I’m not arrogant, I just tell you that I have an idea of what I’m doing and I’m confident of what I’m doing. You call it arrogance, I call it confidence. It depends on which side of the thing you’re on,” he said.
“You can’t have more information than me, because I’m leading. I have all the information. I’m telling you that what you’re suggesting to me was tried already and it hasn’t worked and you’re telling me well, it has to go that way and I’m saying to you well, I understand your views but I don’t have to agree with them but this is where I’m going. Why is that arrogance?”
If Cameron is successful in winning the race for ICC chairman, he would become the second West Indian to lead world cricket.
Barbadian Clyde Walcott served as ICC chairman from 1993 to 1997.
International media reports indicate that England’s Colin Graves is the front runner to succeed outgoing chairman Manohar, who is not vying for the position again.
However, the US Cricket Hall of Fame — an organisation that honours cricket legends —has written to the world body recommending Cameron as the man for the job.
“I am hoping that CWI can see the benefits of nominating Dave Cameron for this position. With the hope that India, Pakistan, or England would second the nomination,” said Executive Director Mike Chambers.
“Since 1997 we have not had any representation nor equal sharing of the wealth at ICC. If England is in charge we will continue to receive loans, India will continue to give us grants. Only if Dave Cameron is in charge will the bottom 10 receive their just share.”
Noting that since 1981 the US Cricket Hall of Fame has paid special attention to West Indies cricket although its emphasis is on growth and development of cricket in the US, Chambers added: “Cricket in the USA is struggling. The US market has a potential to generate half a billion dollars each year. With Dave at the helm I believe this can be accomplished.”
No timeline for the ICC election has been announced.
