Mark Taylor Quits As Cricket Australia Director, Says He Has 'Lost The Energy'

Former Test captain Mark Taylor on Monday quit as a Cricket Australia director, saying that he has 'lost the energy' to continue after an independent review by the Sydney-based Ethics Centre condemned an arrogant and controlling culture at Cricket Australia for the ball-tampering scandal that hit the game in that country. The then-captain Steve Smith and David Warner were handed one year bans for involvement in the scandal. Now, Taylor has joined the list of officials who have quit the organisation. Chief executive James Sutherland and Chairman David Peever had quit last week.

Taylor, who served 13 years on the board, has now decided to split from CA altogether and give it a clean slate to restore its reputation.

"I've just got to the end. Particularly over the last 18 months, there's been a lot in this role as a director of Cricket Australia and it's taken its toll on me," Taylor said.

"I don't think I can give any more. I've lost the energy and I think it's time for someone else to step up and fill my shoes," Taylor added.

Taylor was only last week floated as a potential successor to Peever, with the sport in desperate need of inspired leadership after the damning independent review blamed CA's "arrogant" and "controlling" culture as contributing to players cheating in the pursuit of victory.

He ruled himself out, citing a conflict of interest, having recently signed a new contract with broadcaster Channel Nine which has the rights to the World Cup and Ashes series in 2019.

Since Smith, Warner and Cameron Bancroft were banned for trying to alter the ball with sandpaper in a South Africa Test in March, Taylor has been at the forefront of working to restore relations between CA and the players' union.

But now is the right time to "allow Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers' Association to work from a fresh page".

"I said many months ago that my next step as a Cricket Australia director was either to step up or step off the board," Taylor said.

"I had an opportunity at this time to put my name forward as a chairman, or step off.

"That's where I got to and I think I've made the right move in the interests of Australian cricket to step off and give some other, hopefully, former player an opportunity to add some fresh ideas to this role as a director of Cricket Australia," Taylor remarked.

(With AFP inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

Australia Cricket Team Mark Taylor Steven Smith David Warner Cameron Bancroft Cricket