Photo Credit: Cricket Scotland
Cricket Scotland has today announced significant changes to its senior leadership team as it looks to address the challenges facing the sport.
As part of the changes, Scotland’s national agency for sport, sportscotland, is set to provide experienced staffing resource to Cricket Scotland, with highly respected sports administrator, John Lunn, acting as interim Chief Executive. Mr Lunn will be supported by members of the wider sportscotland team, who will continue to work with staff at Cricket Scotland on areas including governance, leadership, equalities and communications.
Having been involved at the highest level of Scottish sport for more than 20 years, Mr Lunn brings with him a wealth of experience. He is currently Sports Development Head at sportscotland, where he plays a key leadership role in managing relationships with more than 50 Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport (SGBs).
Prior to joining sportscotland in 2009, Mr Lunn worked as Development Manager with Triathlon Scotland for four years and was Triathlon Team Manager for Team Scotland at both the 2002 and 2014 Commonwealth Games. He also spent four years on the Board of Scottish Cycling and worked in finance before moving to the sport sector. He takes up the post on a temporary basis and has already met members of the Cricket Scotland Board.
Cricket Scotland has also announced that Tony Brian – who has served as Chair since 2015 – has retired from the Board with immediate effect for health reasons. Mr Brian, who was also an Associate Member Director of the International Cricket Council (ICC) was due to step down from the Board in April this year. Cricket Scotland will now move quickly to appoint an interim Chair ahead of the search for a permanent successor in the coming weeks.
President elect of Cricket Scotland, Phil Yelland, said: “It is clear that Cricket Scotland faces a number of significant challenges at this time but we are committed to listening to and working in partnership with the cricketing community with a view to making the sport that we all love better for everyone. But we can only do this by working in collaboration.
“Tony has done a great deal to promote and advance the sport in Scotland since he became Chair in 2015 and we want to thank him for all he has done to champion cricket around the world over the past few years. However, now is the time for our sport to take a fresh approach and we are looking forward to working with John Lunn as we start the recruitment process for a new Chief Executive and Chair. With John’s leadership and the continued support of sportscotland we will embrace change and start rebuilding trust in Scottish cricket.”
Interim Chief Executive of Cricket Scotland, John Lunn, said: “This has undoubtedly been a difficult period for Cricket Scotland and my immediate priority will be supporting the staff team and Board members as we look to rebuild trust in the sport. That won’t happen overnight and I know that trust will have to be earned. However, with everyone pulling in the same direction I am confident that we will make progress and quickly.”
Chief Executive of sportscotland, Stewart Harris, said: “Effective leadership and governance are central to the successful operation of sport at all levels and as the national agency for sport we will continue to provide every assistance to Cricket Scotland as it looks to strengthen these areas. This has been a bruising time for the sport but it is clear there is now a shared desire to move the sport forward and we will provide whatever help we can.”
Name of Author: Cricket Scotland
Cricket Scotland, formerly the Scottish Cricket Union, is the governing body for cricket in Scotland, based at the National Cricket Academy in Edinburgh. Established in 1908 and restructured in 2001, it became an ICC Associate Member in 1994. The organization includes three sub-associations: the East of Scotland Cricket Association, Western District Cricket Union, and Aberdeenshire Cricket Association.
