John Howard has been nominated for the presidency of the ICC from 2012.
Australian politician to head cricket's governing body from 2012
Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard has been nominated for the presidency of the International Cricket Council from 2012.
Howard, 70, has been jointly put forward for the role by Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket.
Welshman David Morgan currently heads the ICC but will finish his two-year term later this year and be replaced by his vice-president Sharad Pawar of India, with the rotation policy meaning that Australasia's candidate will take over in two years' time.
Howard will initially become vice-president to Pawar before progressing to the top job.
He said: "It is a great honour to be nominated by Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket for the vice-presidency of the International Cricket Council from June-July 2010.
"Cricket has been one of my lifelong passions and, if the ICC accepts my nomination, it will be a privilege to serve this great game."
Eminent
His appointment will not be officially recognised by the ICC until June, however the boards of both nations are delighted Howard has accepted after a process that included the input of businessman Sir Rod Eddington.
"We are pleased that an eminent candidate in John Howard has agreed, after an exhaustive process, to take the role of joint Australia-New Zealand nominee for the ICC presidency," said CA chairman Jack Clarke and his NZC counterpart Alan Isaac.
"It was an extremely difficult decision and ultimately relied on the input of Sir Rod Eddington, whom both cricket boards respect enormously.
"The ICC faces significant and complex internal and external challenges in its quest for cricket to become a genuinely global sport.
"Australia and New Zealand considered a number of distinguished candidates of global stature before deciding to invite John Howard to consider the role."
