Ian Watmore, the chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board, has stepped down with immediate effect.
The news come as a surprise at a busy time for the ECB board, with a decision on the Ashes tour expected in the coming days.
Watmore, who had only been in the post for a year, said he would be retiring from the working world entirely
Watmore commented: "It is with regret that I step down as chair of the ECB, but I do so in mindfulness of my own wellbeing and that of the game which I love.
“I was appointed to the post in a pre-pandemic era, but Covid has meant the role and its demands on time are dramatically different to all our original expectations, which has taken a personal toll on me.
"Given this, the Board and I feel the ECB will be better served by a new chair to take it forward post pandemic. Leaving now, at the end of the season, gives the board time to find a new chair to support cricket through the challenges of the 2022 season and beyond.
"On a personal level, I also retired last month after five years at the Civil Service Commission and recently became a grandfather. I would now like to retire completely from work and enjoy our great game as a spectator.”
Deputy chair Barry O’Brien has stepped up on an interim basis.
“We will shortly begin a process to appoint a new chair to lead the ECB, as the organisation continues to deliver on its ambitions to grow the game and create an increasingly inclusive and welcoming sport for all,” he said.
