Jayawardene in Gavaskar-headed cricket committee

DUBAI, May 15: Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene, former Australian skipper Mark Taylor and fast bowling legend Michael Holding will form part of the newly constituted ICC Cricket Committee headed by Sunil Gavaskar.
Recently appointed Western Australia coach Tom Moody, who coached Sri Lanka to the 2007 World Cup final and tasted ultimate success as a player with Australia in the 1987 and 1999 World Cups, also finds a place in the committee.
Former Caribbean fast bowler Ian Bishop and ex-Australia cricketer Tim May (Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations) are also included.
It will also include Simon Taufel, rated the best umpire in the world, chief ICC match referee and former Sri Lanka captain Ranjan Madugalle as well as former Scotland captain Craig Wright.
Former Sri Lanka captain Duleep Mendis, who is now the chief executive of Sri Lanka Cricket, MCC secretary and chief executive Keith Bradshaw and statistician David Kendix will also sit on the committee.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara was the original nominee to be the players' representative, but as he was unavailable due to his county cricket commitments, Jayawardene was appointed in his place.
The new 13-member committee, which will meet for the first time on May 30 and 31 in Dubai, will be chaired by ex-India captain Sunil Gavaskar.
The new structure is designed to be representative of all interests in the modern game and replaces the previous set-up which was made up of the nominated representatives from each of the Full Members (Boards and players) and leading associates, an ICC statement said on Tuesday.
The remit of the ICC Cricket Committee is to discuss and consult on any cricket-playing matters and to formulate recommendations to the CEC which relate to cricket-playing matters.
The ICC executive board, which previously approved the recommendation of the ICC Chief Executives Committee (CEC) to amend the structure of the Cricket Committee, approved the personnel set to sit on it at its meeting in Cape Town in March.
"It is excellent news that both the new structure and the make-up of the committee have been approved," ICC chief executive officer Malcolm Speed said.
"The game of cricket now has at its disposal a group of outstanding cricket brains covering all aspects of the game and with their collective input we will be able to ensure that, moving forward, a strong sport is able to grow even stronger."