Speed to step down as ICC Chief next year

DUBAI: International Cricket Council Chief Malcolm Speed has said he will not extend his stay at the world governing body beyond his contract, which expires in June next year.

"That will conclude seven years and I will not stay on longer than that," Speed said.

The Australian, who succeeded compatriot David Richards at the ICC's top post in 2001, always intended to call it quits at the age of 60.

"He made a decision quite a long time ago that he was not going to seek renewal of his contract. It has long been his intention to retire at 60 and his current contract takes him a couple of months short of his 60th birthday," an ICC spokesman said.

The spokesman also said Speed wanted to leave the game on a good footing.

"He is content that the future is on a good footing. He will have left the game on a sound footing in terms of finances, thanks to agreements including the recent deal with ESPN-Star," he said.

The ICC will discuss the process of recruitment in October.

The 58-year-old Speed received criticism for long World Cup at the Caribbean, which also met with the farcical end following umpiring errors during the final between Australia and Sri Lanka. He also drew flak for the way controversy surrounding umpire Darrell Hair and Pakistan's forfeiture of the Oval Test against England was handled.

The ICC left Lord's, its home for almost a century, and moved to Dubai during his tenure.