Australian cricket great David Boon MBE will become Interim Chair of Cricket Australia from October 28, following the decision of Mike Baird AO to step down from the organisation’s board and chairmanship at the upcoming Annual General Meeting.
Boon’s appointment comes after Baird informed the Cricket Australia Board that he would not seek re-election. Baird has spent six years on the CA Board and has served as Chair since February 2023, overseeing the organisation during a period of significant change across Australian cricket.
The transition will formally take place at Cricket Australia’s Annual General Meeting on October 28. A separate process to appoint a permanent Chair will then be undertaken in the months following the AGM, meaning Boon’s role will initially be an interim leadership position.
Boon brings extensive experience from both the playing and administrative sides of Australian cricket. He joined the Cricket Australia Board in February 2025 after nine years as a director of Cricket Tasmania, including three years as the organisation’s Chair. He remains listed as a CA director on the organisation’s current board profile.
The former Australian batter also has a long history within cricket administration. He served as Cricket Tasmania’s General Manager of Cricket and was part of the Australian Selection Panel between 2000 and 2011. Since 2011, he has also served as an ICC Match Referee, adding international governance experience to his domestic cricket background.
Boon’s playing career established him as one of Australia’s prominent international cricketers. He represented Australia in 107 Test matches and 181 One-Day Internationals, scoring more than 13,000 international runs and playing a role in Australia’s 1987 World Cup-winning campaign.
Speaking about his new responsibility, Boon described the position as an honour and said he looked forward to leading the CA Board during what he characterised as an exciting and challenging period for Australian cricket. He said the board would continue making decisions aimed at the long-term health and prosperity of the game in Australia while advancing the country’s interests internationally.
Boon also paid tribute to Baird, thanking him for his contribution to Australian cricket and highlighting his involvement from grassroots cricket through to the Cricket Australia and International Cricket Council boardrooms. He said Baird’s leadership and work on difficult issues facing the sport had made a significant contribution to the game.
Baird said his decision to leave the Chair and Board followed considerable consideration. He welcomed Boon’s appointment as interim leader and said he would work with him through a transition process over the coming weeks before the AGM.
Reflecting on his tenure, Baird said he was proud to have contributed to cricket governance through his time on the Cricket New South Wales Board and subsequently the Cricket Australia Board. He also thanked Australian cricket’s fans, volunteers, club players and umpires, describing them as central to the sport.
Baird pointed to several indicators he said demonstrated the current strength of Australian cricket, including projected record revenue, profit, attendance and viewership, as well as a 40 per cent increase in participation over the previous four years. He also referenced recent decisions concerning the Big Bash League and said he believed they supported the competition’s long-term sustainability.
The outgoing Chair also acknowledged Australia’s players and captains he worked closely with, including Pat Cummins, Mitch Marsh, Alyssa Healy and Sophie Molineux. He highlighted their performances and character as important examples for future generations of Australian cricketers.
Baird further expressed confidence in the Cricket Australia Board and praised CEO Todd Greenberg, saying he believed the organisation had strong leadership in place. The current CA Board comprises 10 directors, including independent directors and representatives appointed by Australia’s state and territory cricket organisations.
Boon will therefore assume the interim Chair position at a significant point in Cricket Australia’s calendar, with the organisation preparing for the formal search for a permanent Chair after the October AGM. His combination of international playing experience, state cricket administration, selection experience and ICC involvement will form the background to his temporary leadership of the national governing body.
