Zimbabwe Cricket's reservations stem from Howard's repeated criticisms of President Robert Mugabe's regime and South African cricket officials appear to be backing their neighhbours.

Meanwhile Howard, a self-confessed cricket "tragic" did not endear himself to Sri Lanka when, during his 11-year term as prime minister, he publicly questioned the legitimacy of off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan's action.

Good one Gus,

As a proud Orstralyan (that's how we pronounce it) I agree with your article on the absurdity of appointing Howard, of all people, to be an administrator of the International Cricket body while I still have the picture of him in my mind after his election loss – going to the US and singing "God Bless America".  Fair dinkum.

He is a blatant racist and endeared himself to the forces of isolation when he ordered that the people drowning with the sinking of the SIEV X were not his problem because they were in international waters!  Even the Liberal Party's ABC rep, Fran Kelly, didn't mention this small detail when she rapped him in the flag with her "not so honest" Howard biography TV show.  Struth.

The era of the Blair/Bush/Howard governments were the most devastating to the world in my lengthy memory.

Now, I believe that we have a federal government which is trying to serve and protect the Australian people and their national interests by not complying with the dictates of foreign Corporations - especially the Murdochracy.  Therefore, IF the media is against you in politics - then you are not on their payroll.  Conversely, where does that leave the Mad Monk?

I am usually very "positive" about what I believe in but I realize that the most powerful world organization which funds and literally owns the people of the nations in which they prosper - is the Media.

You only have either the State controlled information or that which is Corporation controlled.   What a choice.  Over the 20th Century the crimes committed by the uncivilized guilty far outweighed the poor attempts by the innocent to defend themselves.

The corrupt US which is badly served by its so-called “free Press” seems to still be in the clutches of the “Citizen Kanes”.

We have returned to the stone ages where a Nation is only entitled to that which it can defend, and with America continuing to spend more on war and more effective human killing machines, one would have to be a genius to propose a solution.

But, Physician heal thyself – let’s support our elected government against foreign interests and their fellow travelers.  NE OUBLIE.

Cheers Ern G. 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially rejected former Australian prime minister John Howard's bid for the vice-presidency after a revolt by Asian and African nations.

The ICC has issued a statement saying Mr Howard's nomination did not have sufficient support within the organisation's board.

Mr Howard's nomination for the role of ICC vice-president was rejected by at least six of the 10 Test-playing nations at an ICC executive board meeting in Singapore on Wednesday.

"Following lengthy consideration it was recognised that the nomination (of Mr Howard) put forward by Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket did not have sufficient support within the ICC board," the ICC said in a statement.

see toon at top...

Cricket Tragic

Former International Cricket Council boss Malcolm Speed says world cricket's governing body has insulted Australia and New Zealand by blocking former prime minister John Howard's vice-presidential bid.

India, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, Pakistan, Bangladesh and South Africa have so far given no reason for their decision to block Mr Howard's ICC candidacy yesterday.

"I think it's an insult to Australia and New Zealand, it shows great disrespect to those countries," Mr Speed told ABC News Breakfast this morning.

"I think Mr Howard is entitled to feel angry."

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Gus: Sure Mr Howard is entitled to feel angry. But for some of us who tried hard to get Howard ousted from government for good reasons, the attitude from these countries shows great respect for Australia (I don't know about New Zealand) by not taking him on board.

John, go on a holiday. You're entitled to spend your money on a world cruise for yourself and Janette. Enjoy life for yourself, not for having to manage sumpthin' with balls in it...

Cricket Australia will hold a special board meeting early next week to decide whether to continue to push John Howard's nomination for the vice-presidency of the International Cricket CounciI (ICC).

Mr Howard's candidacy for the world cricket body failed to win backing from Asian and African nations at an ICC meeting in Singapore on Wednesday.

Following their departure from the ICC conference Cricket Australia (CA) chairman Jack Clarke and chief executive James Sutherland will be involved in a telephone hook-up with the rest of the CA board to discuss the rejection and where to go next.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) will go through a similar process with their chairman Alan Isaac, after which the boards will agree on the name to be re-submitted to the ICC by the August 31 deadline.

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read article above this one and visit toon at top...

Now another antipodean must be found. What price his prospects? Australia ought to refuse to renominate. Howard never was the issue. Corruption is the issue, and it is dancing tonight. It has been an episode entirely without redeeming features.

By promoting and backing Howard, an outsider uninvolved in cricket, Cricket Australia insulted New Zealand and Sir John Anderson, its impressive candidate.

As far as other ICC nations were concerned, too, the nomination was provocative. Or so they claimed and pretended. They regard Howard as a backwoodsman. Indeed, he is about as progressive as an umbrella.

Moreover, cricket contains as many hurt memories and ancient rivalries as the Balkans. Sensitivity is needed. Indeed, it's almost as important as integrity.

The International Cricket Council has urged Australia to find another candidate to lead the sport's governing body after former prime minister John Howard was rejected.

The former PM vowed to fight on in his bid to become ICC president, which was thrown out during a meeting in Singapore on Wednesday.

The ICC was not obliged to explain why Mr Howard's bid failed, chief executive Haroon Lorgat said, telling a news conference that the sport's governing body "does not have to give those reasons".

"There weren't sufficient number of directors in support of the nomination, (it) did not go to a vote and the outcome was to request Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket to reconsider their nomination and to return to the ICC by the 31st of August," Lorgat said.

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see toon at top...

John Howard's refusal to step down as nominee for the vice-presidency of the International Cricket Council (ICC) has drawn a furious response from sections of the Indian media.

One Indian TV news channel has labelled Mr Howard a closet racist and a "museum piece".

Mr Howard's nomination was rejected without any official explanation by several ICC nations including India, Pakistan, South Africa and Bangladesh.

His attempt to become the vice-president of the ICC has drawn strong criticism from some sections of the Indian media.

The top rating news channel Times Now has accused Mr Howard of being racist and out of touch.

"Why should a museum piece, a symbol of the black-white divide, dare or dream of entering world cricket," Times Now presenter Arnab Goswami said.

"By doing so, we seem to have upset other closet racists."

The International Cricket Council has rejected John Howard. Good.

Howard is a racist warmonger who should be in leg irons before the International Court of Justice in the Hague on trial for war crimes, not running world cricket.

Let's have a  look at the man the Colonel Blimps of Australasian cricket recommended for the job of leading world cricket in two years' time.

Howard supported apartheid. He favoured white rule in Zimbabwe. That should win him lots of votes from South Africa and Zimbabwe.

As leader of the Opposition in 1988 Howard suggested that in the interests of 'social harmony' Asian migration should be slowed. That attitude should win him lots of votes from the Asian cricketing nations India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, not to mention the undying devotion of Bangladeshi and (leave aside the killing machine he helped unleash there) Afghan cricket.

As Prime Minister Howard moved heaven and earth to keep refugees out, including from cricket playing nations Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Their support is a given, no doubt.

He dog whistled to the racist One Nation supporters over asylum seekers and aborigines.

Howard led the Northern Territory intervention, a racist attempt to steal aborigines' land and further marginalise them in the Territory.

He supported the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan with Australian troops. The invasion of Afghanistan has spread the war of terror into Pakistan. To repeat. This is a man who should be on trial in the Hague for war crimes, not nominated to run world cricket. 

The cricket council consists mainly of administrators from  Asian countries like India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan and people from the overwhelmingly black countries South Africa and Zimbabwe and the nations that make up the West Indies.

Even when commenting on cricket he reeks of racism. The racism of Australian crowds was so great, with its tired no ball calls every time he bowled, that Murali Muralitharan, the Sri Lankan who is the world's greatest bowler, refused to tour Australia.  

So what did Howard do? Echoing the drunks in the outer he called Murali a chucker. There were racist votes to be won, weren't there?

It was under Howard's draconian anti-terror laws that the Federal Police held Dr Mohamed Haneef, an Indian doctor working on the Gold Coast, incommunicado for 12 days. He was released without charge after a fortnight of racist hysteria.

Are cricket administrators here mad or just oblivious to the backlash against racism that was obviously going to occur in nominating Howard? Methinks too many gin and tonics in the Old Boys' Club might have addled their brains and made them think they were the last apostles of the white man's burden, along with Howard.

For rank and file cricketers and supporters in most countries Howard represents everything they hate. Even we hated him and threw him out in 2007.

Howard wasn't nominated for the job because of any cricketing prowess or background. He was nominated by Australia and New Zealand (over initial New Zealand objections) because he is a ruthless bastard who will steamroll the non-whites.

Are the last bastions of empire and conservatism hiding in Australian cricket? The ICC started 100 years ago as the Imperial Cricket Conference. England, Australia and South Africa were its founding members. 

Howard's impending elevation looks like an attempt by conservative white cricket elements to turn the clock back to the good ole days of empire, when those with dark skins didn't run things - they did what they were told.

But globalisation means that the real strength of the game lies in the East - India in particular - and that dominance will continue to grow as the Indian economy grows.

King Canute Howard cannot stem the tide of change sweeping cricket, no matter how much the Old Guard wants it.

In 2007 the Australian electorate rejected the backward looking John Howard and his conservative and racist values.  The ICC has done the same. Good on them.

The International Cricket Council rejects racist warmonger

Cricket Australia will decide on Friday whether or not to keep former prime minister John Howard as its nominee for the role of vice-president on the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Mr Howard was put forward by the boards of Australia and New Zealand as their candidate but rejected by the ICC board.

It is the first time the ICC has rejected a nominee for the vice-presidency.

Cricket Australia (CA) spokesman Peter Young says there is no plan at this stage to find another candidate.

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Blair, Bush and Howard (and Abbott) are war criminals under the charter of the United Nations...

Cricket Australia says it will support New Zealand Cricket's nominee for the ICC vice-presidency, all but ending John Howard's chances of taking the role.

Mr Howard was put forward by the boards of Australia and New Zealand as their candidate but rejected by the ICC board.

It is the first time the ICC has rejected a nominee for the vice-presidency.

In a statement on Friday, CA said it would not be suggesting any other names for the role and would instead support New Zealand Cricket's nominee, chairman Alan Isaac.

FINAL WORD

Greg Baum sensed something was rotten about the Sydney Test in January, 2010, but his column was withheld on legal advice. This week three Pakistan cricketers were jailed for spot-fixing during a Test in England, and evidence suggests corruption was not confined to that game. Today we publish the column as an example of the suspicion that could not be aired then, but now cannot be suppressed.

"Derogatory remarks are not only a routine part of cricket, they have become a form of psychological warfare used to establish dominance."

With this shocking headline, the New York Times exposes "The Dark Side of Australia’s National Sport". We are all shocked.

How can we survive sledging? Hum.... Big question, you sissy out there. If it was politics... We'd call it a spirited debate or "Q&A" on the ABC. But on the fair sporting field? Sure, we know that sledging is traditional on the pitch since the days of square balls and royal Empires, but really, one must be made of straw to succomb to a bit of insult... Sissies... The world will be better when more important things are sorted out, like deception to go to war...

The little man at the top in the toon was a rotten lying tragic and went to war with his buddles Blair and Bush.