Channel Nine losing cricket rights could open door for Mark Taylor to become Cricket Australia chairman
FORMER Test captain Mark Taylor could become one of the most influential figures in Australian cricket, if he decides he wants a career change in the wake of the game’s television rights war.
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FORMER Test captain Mark Taylor could become one of the most influential figures in Australian cricket, if he decides he wants a career change in the wake of the game’s television rights war.
Taylor has been contracted to Channel Nine for 21 years, signing on with Kerry Packer’s broadcasting juggernaut before he’d even retired from Test cricket.
But now that Nine has lost the cricket rights for the first time in four decades, it’s understood Taylor is open to all options both in and outside of television.
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There are powerful people across the game who believe Taylor would be the ideal man to take over as Cricket Australia chairman.
At a time when the game’s front office leadership is under a searing microscope, Taylor’s next move is of particular interest.
David Peever has endured a torrid 12 months at the centre of an antagonistic pay war with his players, a bitter TV rights negotiation and the scandalous fall-out to the Cape Town ball tampering scandal.
There’s no suggestion Peever has lost support from his fellow board members and his tenure as chairman is, at this stage, due to extend deep into next year.
But with an independent cultural review underway nothing is certain, including his position.
The image and reputation of the game remains in need of significant rehabilitation and some say that cannot happen if changes aren’t seen to be made at the top of the tree.
Taylor has made it clear since joining the board as a director in 2013 that he would not stand as chairman whilst ever employed by Cricket Australia’s primary broadcast partner.
The question now is whether that conflict of interest will endure now that Nine is out of the picture?
Taylor might not be a first-round draft pick in the commentary recruitment drives being launched in earnest by Channel Seven and Foxtel. The game’s new broadcasters are wary of looking ‘too Channel Nine’.
However, it’s almost certain Taylor will attract interest from Seven and or Fox, such is the former Test captain’s standing in the game.
Nine are also likely to be interested in re-signing Taylor, even in the post-cricket era, as a valued member of the World Wide of Sports stable.
Should Taylor jump ship to Seven or Fox, his next six years may look a lot like his last 19; commentator and rank and file board member.
But at this stage all balls are in the air.
Last year when Rod Marsh quit as chairman of selectors, Taylor refused to even rule out the prospect that he might one day consider such a pressure-cooker role, should his circumstances in television ever change – as they now have.
To be universally respected in cricket, as Taylor is, is rare.
Whether it be on TV, on a selection panel, on the board, or as many believe serving as the game’s Godfather and chairman – Australian cricket needs ‘Tubby’.
But while Taylor ponders his next move, CA ought to start thinking about where they need their No.1 statesman the most.