Mike Baird has resigned as chair of Cricket Australia after his home state NSW withdrew support for the former premier to carry on as a director over his decision to push ahead with plans to sell Big Bash League clubs.
Decorated former Test batsman David Boon will take over as interim leader of CA at the governing body’s AGM next month, holding the role while a search is conducted for another longer-term chair.
Though Baird had served on the Cricket NSW board before becoming CA chair in 2023, he found himself totally at odds with Australia’s largest state over the issues of BBL privatisation and the game’s financial model.
Baird was informed last week that Cricket NSW, chaired by John Knox, had withdrawn support for him to carry on as their nominee for another three-year term. The state also rejected a proposal for Baird to move into an independent director’s spot – vacated recently by Sarah Adam-Gedge – for an interim period while a new chair was found.
Former CA chair Wally Edwards spoke out last week at Cricket Western Australia’s AGM, expressing his opposition to the sale of BBL clubs and calling for the CA board to be spilled by the states.
Baird told this masthead that he hoped his decision to quit would reduce the temperature of discussions between CA and the states, and called for the game’s decision-makers to unite behind Boon.
“My term had come to an end in discussion with NSW and I was happy to help the transition to a new chair, but ultimately I leave with absolute gratitude and thanks,” Baird said. “It’s been a real privilege, and I have appreciated working with every single state and stakeholder. It’s been a real life highlight.
“It’s time to unite, and I hope all of cricket will unite behind David. He’s respected by every person in cricket, whether a fan, a volunteer, a player, media, broadcasting, even internationally, David is someone respected from top to bottom.
“My hope is there’s a chance for a reset. There’s been a decision made [on the BBL] and CA will continue to crack on with that. But the game is much stronger when we’re united, and there’s a chance to unite now.”
Despite its contribution to his resignation, Baird insisted that CA had pulled the right rein by allowing states to go to market to sell BBL clubs without securing unanimous agreement.
Cricket Victoria is pushing to sell-off 100 per cent of the Melbourne Renegades by the end of this year, while other states are considering their options under a “self-determination” model suggested by South Australia. Baird said he knew that he was risking his own position by announcing the sale process at the SCG earlier this month.
“We had started discussions [about my tenure],” Baird said. “I was open to continuing to serve, but I think the process needed to be run, the discussions needed to be run and done, and from my point of view it was only decided in the past week.”
Baird was chair during a period of significant success on the field, and he listed the 2023 men’s ODI World Cup victory in Ahmedabad and the women’s T20 Cup win at Lord’s this year as high points.
But he has also joined former chairs David Peever (2018) and Earl Eddings (2021) as CA chairs who fell afoul of NSW and Knox, who evolved from curious explorers of private investment in the BBL to dogged opposers over the past year.
Fellow NSW directors Ed Cowan and David Gallop were also involved in discussions with Baird that ultimately led to his exit.
Given this cycle of dysfunction, which has coincided with heavy debate over the financial sustainability of Australian cricket, Baird agreed that it was time for further changes to the way the game was governed.
“The states are looking at governance and I think it’s needed,” he said. “There is a need to look at what’s the best form of governance in the world, looking at other sports, what can we adopt and learn,” he said.
“But ultimately, it comes back to a simple principle. Robust debate, constructive engagement. That won’t mean everyone agrees all the time, but there’s alignment around majority or key decisions that are made. My real hope is now is the time to unite.
“Whatever the structure, if people start with the principle that we’re stronger together, that’s the way forward.”
Baird’s exit will also force a significant reshuffle at the International Cricket Council, where he has served as chair of the financial and commercial affairs committee and worked closely with the global body’s chair Jay Shah.
The ICC board is due to meet in Bali in November, and Baird said that CA may ultimately need to consider choosing a dedicated director to focus primarily on the ICC table, allowing the chair more time for domestic issues.
“There’s some merit in thinking about that, it depends who ultimately ends up in the chair, the time and availability,” he said. “But I can see that working. The demands are significant, the time is significant, and that is one model that could work.”
Boon is the first former Test cricketer to be CA chair since Edwards, and the most accomplished player to do so since Sir Donald Bradman finished his second term as chair in 1972.
“It is an enormous honour to take the role of Interim CA Chair during what is a hugely exciting and also challenging time for cricket,” Boon said.
“I look forward to leading the CA board as we continue to make decisions that ensure the long-term health and prosperity of the game here and advancing Australia’s interests globally.”
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Daniel Brettig is The Age’s chief cricket writer and the author of several books on cricket.Connect via X.