Lamb bows to county critics

There has to be mutual trust and confidence between the centre and the counties Tim Lamb

Tim Lamb says losing the full support of the counties was a major factor in his decision to resign as England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive.

Lamb told BBC Five Live: "There has been quite a bit of pressure building up over a number of issues. Some of the criticism I believe has been unfair.

"It is important to stress I am going on my own terms.

"Hopefully I can walk out of the ECB at the end of September holding my head up high, feeling I made a contribution."

Lamb, who has held the position since the ECB was formed in 1997, has been criticised for his handling of county restructuring and the row over England's tour of Zimbabwe.

"The media has been full of criticism from various quarters, in particular the first-class counties," he admitted.

"The first-class counties are absolutely the key stakeholders in the game.

"And once it gets to the stage where they perhaps feel they have lost some confidence in the centre, then that can create some problems."

The current dispute within Zimbabwe cricket will clearly be a subject for discussion at the forthcoming ICC meetings Tim Lamb

Lamb has made no secret of the fact he believes the ECB chief executive should be given more power.

The Carpenter Report, which will evaluate the whole of the running of the governing body, is expected to make a similar recommendation later this year.

Speaking on the Sportsweek programme, Lamb added: "I don't think there will be a civil war.

"There has to be mutual trust and confidence between the centre and the counties.

"This reconciliation of the priorities at the centre and the counties is something my successor will have to wrestle with."

Of the Zimbabwe situation he said: "I would imagine that once the safety and security inspection has been completed, probably around September time, the tour will proceed - unless, of course, there is some significant developments elsewhere.

"The current dispute within Zimbabwe cricket will clearly be a subject for discussion at the forthcoming ICC meetings at the end of next month."