Ray Mali appointed ICC Acting President

Dubai, June 7 (UNI) The International Cricket Council (ICC) today appointed Cricket South Africa's president Ray Mali as the Acting President of the Governing Body till approximately 2008, following the death of Percy Sonn last month.

Mr Mali has served as president of Cricket South Africa (CSA, formerly the United Cricket Board of South Africa) since 2003, will assume the role of Acting President for approximately 13 months until the ICC's annual conference in 2008.

CSA nominated Mr Mali today and this has received final approval by the ICC Board. The Board had asked CSA to make a nomination in line with a recommendation made by the ICC's Governance Review Committee (GRC) after its meeting in Cape Town on Friday June 1.

Mr Mali will assume the role of Acting President with immediate effect and in so doing he steps down as president of CSA, also with immediate effect, the ICC informed.

Mr Mali will exercise all the powers and duties of the President while in office and his taking the role does not prejudice his chances of being appointed ICC President in the future.

Reacting to his appointment, Mr Mali said '' I take this assignment as an honour and a big challenge. I feel lucky to be taking over at a time when the game is in such good shape. It is also a privilege to succeed Percy, somebody who was a good friend and a person who worked so hard for the betterment of this great game.

''I am fully prepared to commit myself to cricket and to take the ICC strategic plan forward during my time in office.

''In order to do that we will have to work together as a team and I look forward to the support and assistance from everyone at the ICC in Dubai as well as representatives of the ICC's Full Members, Associates and Affiliates.

His first real test would be when South Africa hosts the Twenty20 World Cup in September this year. Piching in for the shortest version of cricket till now, he said, ''With the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 event just round the corner, I want all South Africans to come out and show their support for it.

I strongly believe that the use of this shortened format of cricket is one of the ways to take this game forward.'' ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said, ''I was delighted when the ICC Board approved the GRC's recommendation that Cricket South Africa should nominate the Acting President.

Praising his administrative abilities, the ICC CEO said, ''Ray is an experienced and skilled administrator, a man of calm assurance and someone who combines a deep love of the game with an understanding of how best to secure its well-being.'' ''As the new head of our global game, he is a worthy successor to his fellow countryman Percy Sonn and also to the other distinguished figures that have filled the role at the head of the ICC previously.

''I look forward to working closely with Ray during the coming year in what is an exciting time for cricket, including as it does the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa.

UNI