ECB president Giles Clarke set to appear before Parliament over cricket's 'Big Three' takeover

Giles Clarke, the England and Wales Cricket Board president, is set to be called to appear before the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee to explain his role in the controversial takeover of the International Cricket Council (ICC) by the so called "Big Three".

Though no date has been set as yet, Clarke will be grilled about the part the English Cricket Board played in the restructuring of the ICC in 2014, which gave more money and power to the boards of India, Australia and England. This new deal ensured that almost 52% of the revenues generated went into the pockets of the respective boards. The process of the deal was explained in detail by the film Death of the Gentleman made by two cricket journalists Sam Collins and Jarod Kimber, which depicts Clarke in an unflattering light.

Speaking to the media on the issue, a committee spokesperson said: "The committee has decided to look into the conduct of the England and Wales Cricket Board in relation to the governance of International cricket, in the context of the other investigations it is currently undertaking", as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.com.

"The committee has already looked at football, athletics, tennis, as part of a wider group of investigations into sports governance and, in relation to cricket, the ECB is an obvious choice to call in."

Clarke has become the latest prominent administrator set to be called for questioning by the House of Commons select committee for culture, media and sport. FA chairman Greg Dyke was called in October over the inquest into corruption in FIFA, while in December, president of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Sebastian Coe was summoned over the issue of doping in athletics.