CA backs Paine all the way

CRICKET Australia’s board has dug in behind captain Tim Paine by refusing to contemplate life beyond him.

Chairman Earl Eddings, the most powerful figure in Australian cricket, declared yesterday that the board has put the clamps on any internal discussion over succession planning for the Test captaincy.

Commentary over Steve Smith returning to the post when his leadership ban expires in March has become so frenzied it has threatened to overshadow the man doing the job right now.

Selectors also added to intrigue over the next Test captain by appointing Alex Carey to skipper Australia A, specifying a desire for the young wicketkeeper to gain more “leadership experience”.

Paine turns 35 in December, but could be forgiven for feeling frustrated at the feeling a changing of the guard is being pre-empted, given he has led Australia through the most arduous chapter in its history, largely without fault.

Eddings is adamant that is not the case, and offered Paine a timely vote of confidence in his insistence that the rampant debate over captaincy remained nothing more than white noise to CA’s board.

“In all honesty, it’s not on our radar. We have a great captain, Tim Paine,” Eddings said.

“I think you would acknowledge he’s done a great job since he’s taken over in a time of crisis.

“It’s really not on our agenda at the moment. Tim is doing a good job. We’re just leaving it at that.”

Eddings is closing in on 12 months as Cricket Australia’s chairman after taking over from David Peever, who stood down amid the storm of last year’s cultural review.

Cricket Australia yesterday announced a strong financial result at its annual general meeting, but perhaps the most telling statistic was the one that said Australian cricket has barely seen an on-field code of conduct breach since the infamous events in Cape Town.

Eddings said his mandate to help change the culture of the game was ongoing, but praised the players for their part in resurrecting the game’s broken image.

“The players have owned this. There was an acceptance they had to change their ways too and that’s been authentic,” Eddings said.