Justin Langer: Would be surprised if ball tampering saga led to CEO's exit

Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland addresses the media in Melbourne yesterday. Pic/AFP. (Right) Justin Langer

Australia coach Justin Langer paid tribute to the "outstanding" James Sutherland yesterday, saying he would be "surprised" if the ball tampering scandal in South Africa had played any part in the Cricket Australia chief executive's decision to leave his post. Sutherland, who has been chief executive for 17 of his nearly 20 years with CA, announced yesterday he would be standing down.

He added he had given 12 months' notice but would continue in his role until a suitable replacement is found. "After nearly 20 years at Cricket Australia, the time is right. I feel very comfortable that this is the right time for me and a good time for the game," he said. Sutherland came under pressure to quit in March when former captain Steven Smith, his deputy David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft attempted to alter the ball in the third Test in South Africa.

Sutherland resisted a clamour for his resignation and he insisted yesterday the scandal had "no bearing" on his decision, a view endorsed by Langer. Pressed on whether the ball tampering incident had played part in Sutherland's decision, Langer replied: I don't think so. "He's been in the job a long time. If you go through the corporate world, there's very few CEOs who have been there as long as he has. In a sense he's been an outlier to be there for so long.

"He's done a brilliant job, the recent TV rights deal, he's set a great foundation and I'd be surprised if that (the South Africa crisis prompting Sutherland's decision) was the case," said Langer, speaking at Lord's, where Australia were training ahead of a ODI series in England. "He [Sutherland] has done a brilliant job for Australian cricket," the former Australia opening batsman added. "He'll be missed, he's an outstanding person and he'll be really missed at the top of Australian cricket."

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