Clarke set to be called before parliament to explain role in Big Three takeover

CLARKE the ECB president, faces the chance of being referred to as to seem before the way of life Media and recreation pick out Committee, to explain his position within the arguable ICC structural reforms of February 2014, wherein the boards of england, India and Australia seized manipulate of the game's price range.

No hearing is anticipated before Easter, but as and whilst it does take location, Clarke is anticipated to answer questions on the ECB's position in the behind-closed-doors takeover which was provided to other full contributors of the ICC as a completed deal. The technique of the deal turned into outlined within the movie dying of a Gentleman, which become ultimate week named as Documentary of the yr at the Prestigious sports activities newshounds' association Awards in London.

A screening of demise of a Gentleman, which turned into directed and produced with the aid of Sam Collins and Jarrod Kimber and which portrays Clarke in an particularly unflattering mild, could be shown inside the residence of Commons on Monday nighttime.

Clarke, who's anticipated to be the ECB's nomination for the function of ICC chairman at the coming near near board elections in June, has come underneath increasing scrutiny in recent months, specifically considering that his fellow architect of the so-known as "large three Takeover", N Srinivisan, was forced to stand down from his dual roles as ICC chairman and BCCI president after being located to have a battle of hobby along with his ownership of the IPL franchise, Chennai exceptional Kings.

"The committee has decided to investigate the behavior of the britain & Wales Cricket Board when it comes to the governance of global cricket, in the context of the opposite investigations it's far currently challenge," a spokesperson for the house of Commons pick Committee for culture, Media and game confirmed.

"The committee has already looked at soccer, athletics and tennis, as a part of a wider institution of investigations into sports governance and, in terms of cricket, the ECB is an obvious desire to call in."

In August ultimate yr, Collins and Kimber organised a protest to "trade cricket" outdoor The Oval on the primary morning of the 5th check in opposition to Australia, at which Damien Collins (no relation), the MP for Folkestone and Hythe and a member of the select committee, turned into also gift.

"Cricket has been taken over with the aid of England, Australia and India at the price of the other 102 international locations that play the sport," said Damien Collins throughout the protest.
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"those 3 titans of the game have engineered a backroom strength seize where cricket is the loser and England, Australia and India are the perennial winners. not simplest are they doing the wrong issue by their game, but it is a warfare of interest. it's miles clear they do not have an hobby in developing and growing the game globally, however handiest of their personal backyards."

at the current ICC board meeting in Dubai, the period in-between chairman, Shashank Manohar, set in motion a probable repeal of some of the reforms, having informed the Hindu that he did now not agree with "the major nations bullying the ICC". Clarke, for his element, has usually maintained that he had the sport's exceptional pursuits at heart in driving through the deal.

"the england & Wales Cricket Board is aware about hobby from the choose Committee for way of life, Media & recreation to check out the governance of global cricket," an ECB spokesman informed ESPNcricinfo. "The Committee has already spoken to some of sports activities our bodies of their on-going enquiries into the governance of global recreation and we'd welcome the opportunity to speak with them inside the coming weeks."