Cricket Australia in no rush on Howard decision

Cricket Australia will not finalise its next candidate for the ICC vice-presidency until August after its board decided only to review the events that led to John Howard's rejection last week. Australia and New Zealand must make another joint nomination for the role, which includes two years as the global organisation's president from 2012, and there will not be a swift conclusion to this complicated episode.

Jack Clarke, Cricket Australia's chairman, led the teleconference from London on Friday and briefed his board on the way Howard's appointment was blocked at the ICC's annual conference in Singapore. Howard has not withdrawn from the race but will stand by Cricket Australia's decision if it does not retain him.

No names were discussed as possible new candidates and the board will not be asked to consider a nomination until its next meeting on August 13. "Jack gave a highly detailed debrief to the directors and one of the key things he stressed was that Australia and New Zealand were joined at the hip throughout this process," a Cricket Australia spokesman told Cricinfo. "They want to remain that way as they move forward."

New Zealand Cricket's board will discuss the situation on July 23 before further talks take place between its chairman Alan Isaac and Clarke. When the ICC board rejected Howard's elevation it gave the organisations until the end of August to provide another option.

One person who is definitely not in contention is Mark Taylor, the former Australia captain. He has ruled himself out due to his commentary, business and family interests. Allan Border, a former board member and Test leader, is also not interested.

In the early stages of the process New Zealand promoted its former chairman Sir John Anderson for the role, but Howard, 70, won the nomination following a decision made by an independent panel. That move was stopped in Singapore when six board members from Asia, Africa and the West Indies signed a letter opposing Howard. The issue did not even get to a vote.