James Sutherland has announced his resignation as Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive in another major bombshell to hit the besieged governing body since the ball-tampering fiasco.
In a surprise to observers, the 52-year-old made the revelation on Wednesday (June 6) and has given 12-months’ notice to CA to plan for a successor. Sutherland, who has been in the role since June 2001, had been under pressure since the ball-tampering scandal blew up in late March but had numerously expressed his desire to stay on through the backing of the board.
Sutherland’s resignation is the latest in a tumultuous period for Australian cricket following the lengthy suspensions to former captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and opener Cameron Bancroft for their roles in the saga. Coach Darren Lehmann also resigned in the aftermath and has been succeeded by Justin Langer, while CA’s head of integrity Iain Roy – who led the investigation into the ball-tampering allegations – has reportedly had his position terminated.
However, David Peever, CA chairman, announced at the press conference that he would continue for another three-year term. CA is currently under an independent review in the wake of the ball-tampering episode.
Sutherland denied the ball-tampering affair played a role in his decision. “It certainly was a big issue at the time,” he told reporters in Melbourne. “But when you work in an industry and a rich environment as we do, as chief executive of a major sport, these things come from time to time. It hasn’t had a bearing on my decision.
“We’ve had some big, big things to deal with over the course of the last 12 months,” he added. “Obviously, there’s Cape Town, but there’s also some key planks that are now in place to allow me to step aside and for a new chief executive to come in and have a really strong platform from which to operate and take the game forward.”
The former Sheffield Shield cricketer revealed he had contemplated his future in recent years. “David and I have actually been talking about this for two years….where I am personally,” he said. “But also when the best time for the game is, as I said before, with some really key building planks in place, the strategy, the media rights deal now done…I feel that it’s a good time for me to hand over the reins to a new chief executive.”
Sutherland believed “the time was right” for CA to start a new era. “It’s my intention to give the board the opportunity to run a thorough process to identify my successor and for me to provide support to the new (chief executive) with the smoothest possible handover,” he said. “My successor will have a strong and stable platform from which to lead our sport and to deliver on our bold aspirations for cricket to be Australia’s favourite sport and a sport for all Australians.”
Sutherland was appointed in 2001 as Malcolm Speed’s successor at the then Australian Cricket Board. Perhaps his crowning achievement was launching the highly successful Big Bash League and he was also instrumental in the advent of day-night Test cricket. Notably, Sutherland negotiated a series of lucrative broadcast deals, including the recent (AUD) $1 billion landmark deal with Channel Seven and Fox Sports.
However, Sutherland has also had to deal with difficult issues including the death of Phillip Hughes, last year’s dramatic pay dispute and poor player behaviour, which hit a crescendo in South Africa.
“I’m very fortunate to have been the chief executive, that I really, truly believe in, and am inspired by the people around me,” Sutherland said. “So whatever’s been achieved in the way that the game has grown is absolutely a team effort. It is my underlying belief that the most important thing we do as a sports administrator, and that is inspire the next generation to love cricket. Boys and girls. It’s all about that.”
Peever paid tribute to Sutherland’s long reign in the role. “James has done an incredible job and has always carried himself with integrity, humility and dignity, apart from knowing the game of cricket inside out,” he said. “He is, without doubt, the best sporting administrator in Australia and the best in world cricket.
“This was completely James’ decision … the ball tampering situation has created upheaval but it has helped us understand the passion Australia has for cricket and we must tap into and respect that passion,” he added.
Peever said it was important for “continuity” that he stay in the role during this tumultuous period of transition. “The board has asked me to another term and I’ve agreed to do that,” he said.
The search will be on for a new chief executive with Kevin Roberts, the chief negotiator in the ugly pay dispute, the early frontrunner. Last month, he was promoted to the newly-created role of chief operating officer and the formal second in-charge to Sutherland.
“We must find the best person for the role and in order to do that we must build the most competitive field to select from,” Peever said. “We will probably have a little bit of bias towards an Australian but I don’t want to put constraints on it.”
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