Charles Sale Counties set to slam new-look ECB board

THe england Cricket Board are set to face great embarrassment at today’s aGM because several county chairmen object to the make-up of their reformed board.

english cricket’s rulers were hoping to rubberstamp the appointment of their new 12-strong board, which has been restructured to meet Sport england governance requirements.

But county chiefs have a number of objections: the removal of any direct county cricket representatives among the new directors; the lack of cricketing backgrounds at board level, and the appointment of lawyer Barry o’Brien, who was involved in Glamorgan’s receipt of a £2.5million fee from the eCB for giving up the hosting of Test cricket — a controversial transaction which is under investigation.

The only direct cricketing know-how is supplied by chief executive Tom Harrison — he had a batting average of 11 during a brief county career — and Lucy Pearson, one of four women on the board, who played in 12 women’s Tests.

yet the eCB are relaxed about any challenge to their proposed line-up in the knowledge that — as with the Fa council — their 41 stakeholders often talk a good game in advance but then keep silent during meetings.

SKY SPORTS La Liga host David Garrido brazenly used social media during his presenting shift of the clasico in Barcelona on Sunday to promote his new personal Spanish football podcast, La Liga Lowdown. Sky, who have lost Spanish league TV rights from next season, are sure to take a dim view of one of their staff advertising his own business during office hours without permission. As will La Liga, if Garrido, who is also a Sky Sports News host, hasn’t checked over their registered brand name restrictions. A Sky Sports spokesman said: ‘We will be reminding David of his responsibilities.’