In September 2007, Giles Clarke was proposed as David Morgan's successor as chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board, after defeating the former Surrey chairman and ECB deputy, Michael Soper, in a election that had to go to a second ballot after the first poll was tied at nine votes each. Clarke had begun his campaign as the outsider, with many stakeholders in the game still resentful of his handling of the controversial £220 million deal in 2004 that sold the rights to home Test series to Sky TV. Clarke, however, has remained unrepentant in his pursuit of big-money deals. The founder of Majestic Wine and Pet City, Clarke reportedly paid his way through Oxford University by gambling, and in 2007 brokered a £40 million deal to sell highlights of England internationals to the Asian market. As Somerset's chairman since 2002, he pushed through a £60 million redevelopment of the county ground at Taunton, with a view to making it a viable venue for the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009. In 2006, under his stewardship, Somerset became the official home to the England women's cricket team.
Andrew Miller September 2007

• Clarke backs Champions Trophy postponement (Aug 24, 2008)
  
• World Twenty20 pullout a one-off decision (Jul 5, 2008)
  
• IPL still tempts England players (Jun 24, 2008)
  
• ECB ready to bulldoze the Championship (Jun 20, 2008)
  
• A bloodless coup (Jun 11, 2008)
  

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Aug 5, 2008 The excitement gets to Giles Clarke at the announcement of the new Sky TV deal © Getty Images

Jun 11, 2008 Giles Clarke at the launch of the Stanford 20-20 for 20 © Getty Images

Jun 11, 2008 Allen Stanford poses with Giles Clarke and Julian Hunte © Getty Images

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