November 5 2018
Mr Earl Eddings
Acting Chairman
Cricket Australia
60 Jolimont Street
JOLIMONT 3002 VICTORIA
Dear Earl
Ahead of this afternoon’s board meeting, I wish to inform you that I have made the call to resign my position as a board member of Cricket Australia with immediate effect.
With a total of 13 years board service, and as Cricket Australia’s current longest-serving director, I reached this decision following a high degree of soul searching and, importantly, having the game’s best interests clearly in mind.
I have always appreciated serving cricket at this peak level, especially as it enabled me to repay my gratitude at being given the ultimate privilege and honour of representing my country, along with the added rare honour of being appointed its captain.
Following on from the events in March this year that rocked the cricketing world, and the ongoing damage this created for our game, including vital employer-employee relationships, my principle brief has been to work hard at fostering and restoring a workable, meaningful and respectful understanding between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association, especially at a time when both parties were still recovering from the prolonged spirited, vigorous, and, sometimes, toxic MoU negotiations dating back to mid-2017.
As Australian cricket faces up to its latest challenge, the time therefore has arrived for me to step back and allow Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association to work from a fresh page in restoring the important values that have enabled Australia, for many years, to be recognised as one of the world’s most admired and successful cricket nations.
My decision also removes the conflicts that have lately emerged with me striving to achieve a better working relationship between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association whilst having to address my ongoing role of reporting on cricket for the Nine Network.
My best wishes, as always, go to the board of Cricket Australia and the game of cricket wherever it is played and enjoyed.
Kind regards
Mark Taylor AO