Mike Baird resigns as Cricket Australia chair as the Big Bash sale splits the states

Mike Baird will leave the Cricket Australia board at next month's annual general meeting after his home state withdrew its backing over the sale of Big Bash clubs, with David Boon named interim chair

Baird told fellow directors on Monday that he would not seek re-election at the Cricket Australia annual general meeting in late October, ending a chairmanship that began in February 2023.

"After much consideration I have decided to stand down as CA chair and director," Baird said.

The decision follows months of argument over private investment in the Big Bash League, a push Baird led alongside chief executive Todd Greenberg. Cricket New South Wales, the country's largest state association, declined to renominate him as its director.

David Boon, a director since 2025, takes the chair in an interim capacity from the AGM while Cricket Australia runs a formal process to appoint a permanent successor.

Cricket NSW withdraws its backing

The state body, chaired by John Knox, opposed bringing private capital into the Big Bash and made clear it would back Baird neither for a further term as its nominee nor for an independent seat.

In a statement, Cricket NSW said the decision "risks leaving cricket in NSW and Australia strategically and financially worse off, with direct consequences for our ability to invest in grassroots cricket".

Baird, a former New South Wales premier, had served six years on the Cricket Australia board. His exit also costs him his seat at the International Cricket Council, where he chaired the finance and commercial affairs committee.

The Renegades sale is unaffected

Baird's departure does not halt the process he backed. The Cricket Australia board approved the privatisation earlier in September, and the Melbourne Renegades are expected to be the first club sold, potentially before the end of the year.

The club is being readied to operate under private ownership from the 2027-28 season. An earlier proposal to sell stakes in all eight Big Bash teams stalled over concerns about losing local control.

In June the states gave in-principle backing to a self-determination model, under which each association would decide for itself whether to sell.

The states split three ways

Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania supported selling equity in Big Bash clubs, and South Australia remained open to it.

New South Wales and Queensland opposed it, arguing that other revenue options should be explored before the competition's ownership was opened up.

Baird calls for a reset

"My term had come to an end in discussion with NSW and I was happy to help the transition to a new chair, but ultimately I leave with absolute gratitude and thanks," Baird said.

"It's time to unite, and I hope all of cricket will unite behind David," he said. "My hope is there's a chance for a reset. The game is much stronger when we're united."

On the governance review the states have begun, Baird said: "There is a need to look at what's the best form of governance in the world, looking at other sports, what can we adopt and learn."

Boon steps up from Tasmania

Boon played 107 Tests and 181 ODIs for Australia before a second career in administration, working as an ICC match referee and sitting on the national selection panel from 2000 to 2011.

He spent nine years as a director of Cricket Tasmania, three of them as chair, before joining the Cricket Australia board.

"It is an enormous honour to take the role of interim CA chair during what is a hugely exciting and also challenging time for cricket," Boon said.

Cricket Australia will open the search for a permanent chair once Boon takes the role at the annual general meeting in late October.

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