Former ICC ACU Chief Alex Marshall Joins BCB as Consultant

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has made several new appointments after a long meeting at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Saturday. The most talked-about move is the hiring of Alex Marshall, the former head of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit. He will work with the BCB for one year as a consultant to guide their own anti-corruption activities.

Board officials said they want to make the ACU stronger with better training and more people to handle cases. Marshall’s experience at the ICC is seen as a big boost. The BCB also extended sports physiologist David Scott’s deal and gave power-hitting coach Julian Wood a three-month contract.

Another major change is in turf management. Tony Hemming, who worked for the BCB before and then joined the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has been brought back for a two-year term. He will look after all pitches for international matches in Bangladesh and train local curators.

Also read: BPL’s Future Hangs in Balance as BCB Weighs Ownership vs Service Model

BCB Brings in Alex Marshall to Oversee ACU Operations

The BCB’s anti-corruption unit is currently looking into corruption allegations from both the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) 2024-25 season.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, BCB media committee chairman Iftekhar Rahman said there had been many complaints about corruption and this is why they have signed Marshall.

"We are receiving a lot of complaints regarding corruption. We cannot sit idle, so all we can do is increase our manpower, bring in a proper trainer, and strengthen our ACU activities - that is why we are appointing Alex for one year," Rahman said as quoted to reporters.

Rahman also confirmed that the ICC’s integrity unit will handle the next edition of the Bangladesh Premier League. 

"They will run the next BPL," he added.

Plans for Tony Hemming and NCL Update

Hemming’s return means all curators and international grounds will be under his control. He will also train Bangladeshi curators to improve pitch preparation. Gamini Silva, the curator at Sher-e-Bangla, has been given another year in his role, but Hemming will oversee the overall turf policy.

The BCB also made changes to the National Cricket League. Dhaka Metro have been removed from the four-day competition and replaced by Mymensingh Division. However, Dhaka Metro will still play in the NCL T20 tournament, starting September 14.

Also read: Bengaluru to Get India’s Second-Largest Cricket Stadium with 80,000-Seat Capacity