Watmore succeeds Graves as ECB chairman

Ian Watmore has been appointed the new chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board. The former chief executive of the Football Association will take over from Colin Graves on Dec 1.

His appointment was ratified yesterday by the executive board of the ECB and will go to be rubberstamped at the governing body’s annual general meeting in May.

Watmore spent 10 months as chief executive of the FA a decade ago before resigning in frustration at the lack of progress for his proposed reforms. He was a board member of the 2015 Rugby World Cup and had a distinguished career in the civil service, serving five prime ministers in senior jobs.

His role at the ECB will be to continue the growth of the Hundred, which launches this year, and expanding participation programmes, as well as laying the foundation for the next rights deal in 2024.

“I am incredibly proud to be appointed to such a prestigious position and look forward to continuing Colin’s work and making the most of the tremendous momentum that

Momentum: Ian Watmore’s role at the ECB will include growing the new Hundred cricket is currently enjoying,” Watmore said. “I feel privileged to be given this opportunity to help a sport I care passionately about.”

Watmore is the first ECB chairman to be appointed from outside the counties since Lord Maclaurin in 1997. He will be the first chairman to be paid a salary, thought to be in the region of £150,000, and intends to spend the summer shadowing Graves as he winds down after five years in the role.

“Ian brings such a wealth of experience from the highest levels of business, sport and the public sector environment,” said Lucy Pearson, who chaired the ECB’S nominations committee. “In an incredibly strong field of candidates, he was the standout all-rounder.”