International Cricket Conical (ICC) on Thursday has banned countries from appointing politicians to national cricket boards, promising to free the sport from gratuitous authority of government.

The decision has been taken at a meeting of the ICC’s full council after four days of consultation between the chief executives’ committee and executive board in Hong Kong.

All members have until June 2012 to reform

According to ICC’s e-mailed statement, all member boards have until June 2012 to implement the reform. A further 12 months would be allowed before any sanctions would be considered.

The reform permits the cricket’s governing body to suspend a member country in the event of government intrusion in the running of a national cricket board.

The amendment was strictly criticized by Pakistan since it came under consideration, where the president is the cricket board’s patron-in-chief while Bangladesh and Sri Lanka also has political interference in local cricket governing body’s matters.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has already sent a legal notice to the ICC on the modification and has endangered legal action if the constitution is changed.

Lorgat thrilled on the new reform

But the Chief Executive of ICC Haroon Lorgat is thrilled on the new reform, he said:

“This is a significant step towards achieving best practice and together with the independent governance review, I am excited by the commitment of the ICC to introduce best possible corporate governance.”