Split in ballot for ECB chairman

There will be a second ballot to determine who will replace David Morgan as the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board after the first stage of voting failed to separate candidates Michael Soper and Giles Clarke.

A ballot of the first-class county chairmen and MCC chairman Charles Fry left the pair tied on nine votes each with one abstention.

The timing of the revised vote will be determined in the next two days.

A statement from the ECB read: "Under the articles of association of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the chairmen of the first-class county clubs and the MCC chairman failed to put forward a single candidate for election by the 41 Members of ECB to succeed David Morgan.

"Two nominees, Giles Clarke and Michael Soper, were nominated and the voting amongst the county chairmen and the MCC chairman resulted in nine votes cast in favour of Michael Soper, nine votes cast in favour of Giles Clarke and one abstention.

"Under schedule E of the articles in the case of equality of votes, the board is required to promptly organise a re-election. The board will be considering over the next 48 hours a timeline for such re-election."