David Morgan, whose seat as International Cricket Council chief was taken by Sharad Pawar in Singapore yesterday, said that he was disappointed that former Australian prime minister John Howard could not be elected as ICC vice-president. Howard lost out because he didn't enjoy the support of a majority of members including India.

Morgan indicated that India went back on its word. "Once he (Pawar) had committed not only to support the process, but support the candidature of Mr Howard, I felt fairly confident that the opposition would be swept away," Morgan was quoted as saying in the Sydney Morning Herald.u00a0

"It's a matter of acute disappointment to me that I was unable to persuade the board to support the nomination of Mr Howard. I think he would have been a very fine vice-president and indeed president of the ICC.

"It would not surprise me if there were not a move to change, yet again, the process for electing the vice-president and president," Morgan added.

Meanwhile, a bitter Howard on his return to Sydney, said: "I think it's a very poor process because an arrangement was worked out."