Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board has proposed its General Manager (Cricket) Dave Richardson for the post of chief executive.

The board has decided to recommend to the ICC Annual Conference that Richardson, an former South African wicketkeeper, succeeds his compatriot Haroon Lorgat as the ICC Chief Executive Officer.

The ICC Nominations Committee met in Mumbai at the weekend to interview four candidates for the ceo's post and Thursday obtained the ICC Board's support via teleconference for Richardson's nomination.

Johannesburg-born Richardson, 52, has been the ICC General Manager - Cricket for the last 10 years. He represented South Africa in 42 Test matches and 122 One-Day Internationals.

On retiring from international cricket in 1998, Richardson, a qualified lawyer, maintained close contact with the game as both a Business Director with Octagon SA and as a media commentator before becoming the ICC's first General Manager in January 2002.

After hearing of his nomination, Richardson said: "It is a great honour to be nominated to be Chief Executive of the ICC. I am delighted with this opportunity and thank the ICC Board for their approval.

"It has been a privilege to serve as ICC General Manager - Cricket, and that work will continue until such time as the ICC Annual Conference ratifies my nomination. I am looking forward to working closely with all the membership and stakeholders in the game.

"It is an honour to be following a fellow South African, Haroon Lorgat, in this role. I have learnt a lot under his leadership and thank him for his support in the last four years."

ICC vice-president Alan Isaac, who was tasked by the ICC Board with identifying a successor to Lorgat, said: "David Richardson was an outstanding candidate who not only had important knowledge of the ICC administration, its staff and its operations but also has unquestioned cricketing knowledge having represented his country so admirably. His appointment will provide continuity and a smooth transition after Haroon Lorgat steps down after ICC Annual Conference in Kuala Lumpur at the end of June."

The ICC Annual Conference is to be held in Malaysia capital Kuala Lumpur on 28 June 2012. If endorsed, Richardson will become the fourth ICC Chief Executive. His predecessors were David Richards (1993-2001), Malcolm Speed (2001-2008) and Lorgat. (IANS)