Saturday 2 May 2020 15:03, UK
Ian Watmore has been confirmed as Chair Elect for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and will replace Colin Graves on August 31.
The 61-year-old takes over from Graves as chairman ahead of schedule after an internal investigation cleared him of recent allegations.
Watmore was appointed earlier this year and was lined up to take the reigns in November, with Graves' term extended to oversee the launch of The Hundred.
With that competition postponed to 2021 as a result of coronavirus, Graves has decided to move on.
Newspaper reports into Watmore's departure from his previous role at the English Football League led to a review, but a three-person panel reported "no evidence to support any allegation of wrongdoing on Ian Watmore's part".
An ECB board unanimously endorsed Watmore during a teleconference on Wednesday evening.
Watmore, a former chief executive of the Football Association, cited ill-health upon leaving the EFL and denied any impropriety during his time with the organisation.
A statement from the ECB read: "Following the publication in a national newspaper of allegations against Ian Watmore around his 2018 tenure as a non-executive director of the English Football League, the board established a sub-committee of directors comprising Barry O'Brien, Katie Bickerstaffe and Martin Darlow to review the allegations, which Ian denied.
"During an extensive process, that included a confidential review of the report referenced in media, the sub-committee has universally agreed that there was no evidence to support any allegation of wrongdoing on Ian Watmore's part.
"In addition, it was concluded that the appointment process had been undertaken in a thorough and professional manner and the board now regards the matter closed."
