By Qaiser Mohammad Ali
New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS): International Cricket Council (ICC) Executive Board members not being able to meet in person and communicating due to Covid-19 enforced restrictions led to a long impasse on them agreeing to the process of election of its chairman, new ICC boss Gregor John Barclay has said.
On November 25, the ICC finally announced the election of Barclay, a 59-year-old New Zealander, after many disagreements over the issue of the election process of the new independent chairman, following the resignation of India's Shahshank Manohar after two terms and his declining to go for a third one.
On Monday, Barclay, a qualified lawyer by profession, said communication would be the key for him as independent chairman of the ICC.
"A part of the problem was because we weren't in a position to meet, as a result of the pandemic. I am sure had we been able to get to Dubai (to ICC headquarters), we would have worked through the number of issues that we had. It was quite an extraordinary circumstances that meant that we just couldn't resolve issues because we couldn't sit there in person," said Barclay during a media interaction.
"After Shashank had resigned, we didn't have someone in the chair; we were somewhat rudderless through the process. But the fact that we now have the process completed and have the chair, I will probably help to address the issues anyway. But for me all I do is I can share my view of the ICC which I have done and I think they have been fairly articulated for everybody that has been prepared to read or listen," he said.
The Hamilton-born Barclay further said he would get in touch individually with ICC Directors and try and bring about unanimity over various issues confronting the world governing body.
"I will communicate with each of the individual directors in the comings days to ensure that all are on the same page and understanding what the ICC needs to do next. It's a combination of having someone in the chair and he communicating with them will probably address the issues, on the complicate ones as well," he said.
Barclay defeated Singapore's Imran Khwaja in a confidential voting process.