Sir Richard Hadlee calls for New Zealand Cricket board to resign

Sir Richard Hadlee has called for the entire New Zealand Cricket board to resign and seek re-election. The cricket icon expressed his disappointment in a letter sent on 20 September to chief executive Geoff Allott and the board. Hadlee stated he was “embarrassed to have my personal name attached to the organisation at present”.

The former player's concerns involve governance, transparency, accountability, and the future direction of the sport. He specifically cited a lack of transparency regarding a Deloitte Sports Business Group report concerning the future of domestic T20 cricket. Hadlee noted that while he was told the report would be shared with participants during the consultation process, it has not been released to key stakeholders, including Major Associations and District Associations.

Hadlee proposed two solutions to restore confidence in the organisation. He suggested the release of the Deloitte report to stakeholders and called for the current board to reapply through a genuinely independent appointment process. He believes the board should not be appointed through a process run by the Major Associations.

Other issues raised by Hadlee include poor staff morale, financial losses, and the loss of key staff. The organisation faces a forecast deficit of more than $7 million for the last financial year. This deficit is attributed to factors including legal fees, budgeting errors, and a payout of between $1 million and $1.5 million following the departure of former CEO Scott Weenink in December.

Where reports differ

• One report identifies Geoff Allott as the current CEO, while another notes he is a former Black Cap who is now the CEO

Compiled from reports by NZ Herald, The Post and Stuff.