Mark Taylor has stood down from his role as a Cricket Australia director after 18 months of turmoil in the game took its toll on the former Test captain. Taylor’s announcement on Monday follows last week’s resignation of chairman David Peever, who fell on his sword over a damning review of the organisation’s culture.
Taylor was initially touted as a replacement for Peever, but his long-term broadcasting commitments ruled him out of the running.
“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.
“I’ve got to the stage where I don’t think I can give any more.”
He said the findings from the Longstaff review were part of his decision, but not the sole factor – last year’s pay dispute and the relationships that fractured as a result also played their part.
Since Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were banned for trying to alter the ball with sandpaper in a South Africa Test in March, Taylor said he had been working hard to restore relations between CA and the players’ union.
But now is the right time to “step back and allow Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association to work from a fresh page”, he said.
“My decision also removes the conflicts that have lately emerged with me striving to achieve a better working relationship between CA and the ACA whilst having to address my ongoing role of reporting on cricket for the Nine Network,” he added.
