THE ECB have left it until today to confirm that Lord Marland of Odstock has challenged Giles Clarke for a chairman's election, with the ultimate winner taking office on April 1.

======STOP SUMMARY=====

Lord Marland has been regarded as the 'ABC' candidate - "anyone but Clarke" -- proposed by Lancashire and seconded by Hampshire and Leicestershire. Clarke's critics during his tenure would cite the continued absence of cricket on terrestrial television, the Stanford fiasco, the Pietersen-Moores sackings and some flaky Twenty20 direction as damaging the game. He has been proposed by Nottinghamshire and seconded by Northamptonshire and Middlesex.

The voting starts with a confidential ballot of 19 parties in the First Class Forum -- the professional counties and the MCC -- with the simply-majority result due on Feb 10. This preferred candidate goes before the full ECB membership of 41 for ratification and a Feb 25 announcement.

Lord Marland, given credit for planning Boris Johnson's successful Mayor of London campaign, has already given radio interviews from that happy position outside the turmoil. Clarke at least has tried to give firm leadership at the sharp end.

CHARLIE SAYS: The Pietersen-Moores blow-up is more the fault of the ECB professional staff employed to prevent exactly that. Clarke seems at fault for poor diplomacy and lack of vision tackling the world 20-overs shakedown, which has left the ECB exposed politically and divided. Nevertheless the wheels of Lord's have never moved swiftly in a changing landscape -- which might be just as well. I would be surprised if Marland were to win, but a close vote would be an effective warning shot.