Oz, NZ PMs back Howard; Pawar hits back at critics

Mumbai/Melbourne, Jul 2 (PTI) Divisions within the ICC
Friday deepened with Prime Ministers of Australia and New
Zealand asking John Howard not to withdraw his candidacy for
the vice-President's post even as new President Sharad Pawar
hit back at his detractors saying the former Aussie PM did not
have the numbers.

A day after the International Cricket Council conclave in
Singapore, Howard got the backing of Australian Prime Minister
Julia Gillard who said he should give it another shot despite
being rejected by the powerful Asian Bloc, raising speculation
of a race divide.
Pawar, however, rubbished suggestions that rejection of
Howard's candidacy would divide world cricket.
"The majority did not support him. Ultimately in any
democratic organisation, there has to be support from the
majority but that was not there in his case," he told
reporters on his from Singapore.
Asked whether the rejection would divide world cricket,
Pawar said, "I don't think so. We have discussed the matter
individually and collectively with everybody including
Australia, England and New Zealand. We took a collective
decision."
Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket are already
seething in anger over Howard's rejection and Gillard and Kiwi
PM John Key echoed the sentiment.
"John Howard, passionate, passionate cricket fan. I share
some of the concerns he's voiced publicly about the kind of
factors that are influencing this decision," Gillard told
'Fairfax Radio today.
"I'd be very happy to offer full support for John Howard
to get this role," she said.
The 70-year-old Howard has refused to back out and said
he was disappointed by the Asian bloc's refusal to specify
reasons for not supporting him.
Key said the Howard would make a "fantastic" ICC
President.
"I know John well; I met him on numerous occasions when I
was leader of the opposition and as prime minister. I think
he's been a tremendous leader of Australia. He's a great
administrator and he loves his cricket ... even if he can't
bowl very well from what I've seen on TV," Key joked.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan has
also backed Howard.
"We were single-heartedly behind John Howard. NZC is held
up as a model of good governance in terms of having
independent directors who do what is best for cricket ... but
that obviously doesn't apply to the ICC and that is shame," he
fumed.
However, Zimbabwe Cricket chief Peter Chingoka justified
the rejection saying that the former Australian Prime Minister
was not experienced enough for the job.

"No one has a problem with an Australian candidate, no
one has a problem with a New Zealand candidate - if it's an
individual we can accept," Chingoka said.
Chingoka refuted suggestions that Howard was rejected
because of his past criticism of the Robert Mugabe regime in
Zimbabwe.
"That is an excuse that has been used because of the
denial of the reasons given (to Howard and the countries),
because it's a convenient excuse," he said.
Asked whether Howard's rejection would leave ICC a
divided house -- that too on racial lines, Chingoka said, "If
I stand against you in an election for an organisation one of
us has to win and the other one has to live with it."
Meanwhile, the 69-year-old Pawar will now have to
shoulder twin responsibilities of being a minister and ICC
President but the veteran politician said he would be able to
handle them with a little help from Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh.
"Fortunately the ICC headquarter is in Dubai and Dubai
works on Saturday and Sunday. So, it's a matter of two hours
flight. So, I think there won't be any difficulty. Secondly I
will discuss with Prime Minister about my responsibilities and
will take appropriate decision so that my government work is
not affected," he said.
"I may suggest for more hands. I had asked for three
ministers but they have given only one. If I request to reduce
some of my work, we may find some solution. I won't allow my
work in government to suffer," he said.
Asked what he considers the biggest challenge of his new
job, Pawar said, "We have to preserve all the formats of the
game. Today we have 105 countries who are ICC members. But in
true sense unless we expand the game to China, USA, some parts
of Eastern Europe and some parts of Africa, the game would not
reach every corner of the world." PTI PM