Retired cricketer Mel Jones will not stand for re-election to Cricket Australia's board in October, instead stepping down to focus on her media commitments
Jones steps down from Cricket Australia board role
Retired Australian international cricketer Mel Jones will step down from Cricket Australia's board in October to focus on her media and other work commitments, the organisation announced on Friday.
Jones has served as one of nine board directors since December 2019 but also works as a cricket commentator in Australia and abroad, primarily with Sky Sports in England.
The 50-year-old is also an advocate for inclusion, most notably working with the Victorian Government's Change Our Game initiative to encourage female participation and leadership in sport.
Jones, a veteran of five Tests and 61 ODIs and a two-time World Cup winner, said choosing not to stand for re-election to the CA board would allow her to focus on her work overseas next year.
"It has been an honour to serve for three years on the CA board," she said.
"But my future work commitments, particularly given that I will be overseas for many months of the year, mean that I will not be able to devote the time required to fully support my fellow board members after this year.
"I am delighted, of course, to be able to continue my long-standing connection to cricket through my commentary, sporting and business interests and broad range of cricket relationships."
CA chair Lachlan Henderson said Jones had been an "outstanding" board member.
"Her unique perspective and insights have been invaluable as we have set the strategy to ensure the continuing future health of the game," he said.
"We look forward to formally recognising Mel's contribution on the CA board at the AGM in October."
Jones' departure will leave Michelle Tredenick, who joined the board in 2015, and Vanessa Guthrie, who joined last year, as the only female directors on the nine-member board.
It also leaves the board without any international playing experience. The board's Queensland representative Greg Rowell played first class cricket for NSW, Queensland and Tasmania and was a member of the Australia ‘A’ one-day team that famously played against Australia in a one-day series in 1994-95.