The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday sacked its outgoing CEO Malcolm Speed from his job. Speed was to step down from his post on July 4, 2008. Speed will now be on paid leave till his contract ends. It is said that Speed differed on several issues with the board members, the major one being the Zimbabwe issue. According to the sources Speed will vacate his office on April 30, 2008.

 

Till Haroon Lorgat takes charge of Speed's office in July, the general manager of the ICC, Dave Richardson will serve as the interim CEO. It is to be noted that the heat between Speed and the ICC has been going on quite for some time. The last issue was Speed's comments on the Indian Cricket League (ICL) during a press briefing in Mumbai. Speed heated up the tussle when he said that the BCCI has not told the ICC about the authorization of the ICL. These comments were not taken in healthy spirit by the BCCI, which had discussed ICL in at least three ICC meetings.

 

Speed was also not present in the inaugural ceremony of the Indian Premier League(IPL) and also in an meeting related to the opening ceremony of IPL in Bangalore. A number of members criticized this move of Speed.