SYDNEY – The exodus at Cricket Australia grew Wednesday as two more top executives quit the embattled governing body after a ball-tampering scandal and a scathing review triggered an outcry.
Team performance boss Pat Howard, who was due to leave next year, has brought forward his departure to next week, while broadcasting chief Ben Amarfio left on Wednesday, Cricket Australia said.
The latest departures come after chairman David Peever was forced out last week and former Test captain Mark Taylor quit as a director. Former CEO James Sutherland stepped down last month.
The 'Sandpaper-gate' scandal, where the team was caught using sandpaper to alter the flight of the ball, also cost former coach Darren Lehmann his job and prompted lengthy bans for three players.
Cricket Australia said the latest changes signalled a “new chapter” under the leadership of incoming chief executive Kevin Roberts.
Cricket Australia Chief Exective James Sutherland (left) and Executive General Manager of Team Performance Pat Howard during a news conference. Photo: Philip Brown/Reuters
"It is clear that we need to deepen our relationships with fans, players and the broader cricket community,” Roberts said in a statement. “We are committed to making cricket stronger and developing closer connections with the community and greater alignment across the organisation.
“Everyone at CA is focused on rebuilding and moving forward after what has been a turbulent year in Australian cricket.”
After the sandpaper plot in March, then-captain Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner were banned for 12 months, and batsman Cameron Bancroft for nine months.
A damning independent review found Cricket Australia partly responsible for the incident, saying an “arrogant” and “controlling” culture led to players cheating in the pursuit of victory.