Australia and New Zealand were the next in line for the Vice Presidency position. Both cricket nations developed a protocol to select the person to become the next Vice President and therefore the following President.
So far so good. The formula was in place. The cricketing nations approved the protocol and naturally awaited the nomination from the Australia – New Zealand camp for the ICC vice president position.
The well understood and agreed process was that when the nomination was received, the ICC would met at their next regular meeting and rubber stamp the nomination.
This process was put in place by the ICC to avoid conflicts of bigger cricketing nations getting more say in who takes the top job and it was a program whereby everyone got their 'time in the sun', so as to speak.
Australian and New Zealand cricketing authorities over a period of months were in negotiations and finally their agreed nomination for the ICC vice presidency position was Australia's former Prime Minister, John Howard.
Over the past few months there have been numerous articles written by cricketing people as to the benefits this former Australian Prime Minister and cricketing tragic would bring to the vice president position and ultimately the presidency.
Some of John Howard's positive hallmarks, according to the cricket commentators, would bring to this position was his international experience and his ability to negotiations difficult issues. Moreover his towering political nous in nipping troubles in the bud with uncanny perception was highlighted.
The ICC presidency is not for the faint hearted as it is a position that is required to stand up for world cricket as opposed to national or geographical proclivities. The sub-continent is a case in point, and more particularly India, with its huge finances through tournaments such as the IPL.
What happened next is now part of cricket history. When the ICC met and voted to rubber stamp the Australian – New Zealand nomination for the vice presidency, more ICC members voted against the nomination than for the nomination. John Howard, in the vernacular, was out 'on his ear'!
As an aside, it was the week of putting significant people out! That same week Australia's prime minister Kevin Rudd, who had led Labor to victory over John Howard only two and half years earlier, was himself out 'on his era', done in by his own political party's machinations.
It was indeed the week of the unexpected. Both Howard and Rudd were 'shot down' ignominiously. And there are some interesting parallels. Both Howard and Rudd, when on top, were astonishingly brilliant in their political skills. Howard and Rudd both hold their family relationships as sacrosanct and both have Christian connections. Howard was called upon to take up the vice presidency nomination. Rudd was called upon to lead Labor out of the political doldrums.
So what do we make of this? It's interesting, that's about all.
But what is more interesting is what will happen next with the ICC vice presidency? The ICC it seems wants another candidate from Australia and New Zealand. John Howard categorically stated last week he's not withdrawing his name from the ICC vice presidency nomination, now he's said he'll leave it to Cricket Australia, but it's a combined decision between Australia and New Zealand.
Politics and politics, Sport and politics, Churches and politics. It's been said that where you have two or more people together you have politics.
Yet Jesus has a different take on it. When you have two or more believers together He is right there in their midst. Moreover the faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains.