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David Peever has resigned from his position as Cricket Australia chairman after a week of pressure following the release of the Longstaff Review into the organisation's cultural failings.
The review, released on Monday, exposed the many cultural failings of Cricket Australia in recent years that conspired to create the environment that led to the Cape Town ball-tampering saga.
Despite signing a new three-year contract to remain in his role last week — before the release of the Longstaff Review — a groundswell of anger has seemingly made Peever's position untenable.
Former Cricket Victoria director Earl Eddings — who was confirmed as deputy chairman of CA at the organisation's AGM last week — will be the interim chairman and will begin the process of finding a permanent replacement.
Eddings thanked Peever for his service.
"He has played a pivotal role in the elevation of women's cricket, and the significant growth in attendance and participation," Eddings said.
"He should also be acknowledged for his efforts in improving funding to the ICC full member nations outside Australia, England and India; overhauling governance of the ICC and reforming the Future Tours program, among a long list of achievements.
"We look forward to continuing the important process of recovering and rebuilding for Cricket Australia and Australian Cricket.
"The Board is keenly aware that we have a way to go to earn back the trust of the cricket community. We and the executive team are determined to make cricket stronger."
The review launched a scathing attack on Cricket Australia, and found the organisation was perceived as "arrogant and controlling" and that players lived in a "gilded bubble".
But Peever was defiant in the immediate aftermath of the report's release this week.
"No [I am not embarrassed]. Not at all. Because I'm … associated with something that is so important to Australia and that I feel very, very committed to," he said on Monday.
"I think there are certainly elements of the report, as I said, that we need to work on and there are 42 recommendations which we have committed to. One we have said we won't do. The rest are work in progress and in the case of several, there is a little bit of not 'what' but 'how'.
"I'm not embarrassed. I'm not embarrassed at all. We're very committed to moving the game forward and using this review as a platform to do that."
The ABC understands the chairman of Cricket NSW, John Knox, rang Peever on Thursday morning to tell him he no longer had his support.
Peever subsequently decided to resign Thursday afternoon.
The ABC also understands Mr Knox was unhappy about the process of Peever's re-election as Cricket Australia's chairman last Thursday.
Peever was elected for his second term as chairman before state associations had a chance to read the Longstaff Review.
The contents of the review only strengthened Mr Knox's resolve that Peever was not the right man for the job.
'It's now officially a joke': Former captain
Peever earlier said he accepted "full responsibility" for the negative conclusions of the Longstaff Review but, unlike Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, was set to keep his job with no tangible punishment.
Many commentators found this situation to be unacceptable, including former Australian captain Ian Chappell.
"Didn't he say the buck stops with me? I seem to recall hearing that or reading that somewhere. I mean if the buck stopped with him, he'd be gone," Chappell told 7.30 earlier this week.
"When the fiasco in Cape Town occurred, I said if it's only three people — being Smith, Warner and Bancroft — if only three get it in the neck then it's a joke. Well, I think it's now officially a joke.
"Quite rightly the players are going to be angry about that, the fact it's only them who copped it in the neck."
Cricket NSW released a statement commending Peever for "showing leadership at a difficult time" and putting "the good of the game first by taking full accountability".
Western Australian Cricket Association CEO Christina Matthews said Mr Peever's departure was in the best interests of the game and he had made the right decision to resign.
"David has done a lot of good for the sport, but clearly in an environment like we have at the moment, you have to make a decision whether staying is of benefit or detriment to the sport," she said.
Australia's men's side's home international summer begins on Sunday when it plays an ODI against South Africa in Perth.
Topics: cricket, sport, australia
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