Cricket: Calls for Clarke to quit after link with Stanford.

Byline: By GUY ASPIN 

LEICESTERSHIRE chairman Neil Davidson has called for England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke to resign over the body's close links with Sir Allen Stanford.

The ECB have ceased negotiations with Stanford after it emerged he had been charged over a "massive fraud based on false promises" in the United States.

The controversial Texan agreed a deal with the ECB last summer for five one-off encounters, to be played annually each November, with an overall prize fund of EUR20m per match.

Davidson feels the close ties with Stanford have damaged the game's reputation and that Clarke should bare the brunt of the blame.

"He should be taking full responsibility for this," Davidson said.

"It has been a tacky episode in English cricket and I personally think it's serious enough that he (Clarke) should resign."

Clarke is currently set to be voted in unopposed for a second term after his only challenger, Lord Marland, withdrew earlier this month.

Davidson added: "We've recently had an election where there was a new candidate and that was Lord Marland, who withdrew because it was clear he couldn't win.

"If there was a new election no doubt Lord Marland would be a leading candidate."

The Leicestershire chairman also criticised the decision to take part in the Stanford Super Series, claiming it was a knee-jerk reaction to encourage players to resist the pull of lucrative Indian Premier League.

He added: "All of a sudden international cricketers had the opportunity to earn a similar wage to football players.

"Our senior players were saying 'we're hauling our butts around the world playing Test cricket, when we could earn more for six weeks work in India playing Twenty20'.

"That's why we got involved in Stanford - it was an effort to get money in the players' pockets."

Clarke himself is determined to stand his ground despite the mounting pressure and has stated he will not be resigning.

THE West Indies finished day four of the third Test on 143-3 after being set a target of 503 for victory.

England racked up a mammoth target for the home side after captain Andrew Strauss declared on 221-8 in their second innings.

Graeme Swann made an early breakthrough for England, taking the wicket of Chris Gayle.

TODAY: Third Test Match (day 5 of 5) Antigua: West Indies v England (14.00) Summaries: Third Test Antigua England 566-9 dec & 221-8 dec v West Indies 285 & 143-3

CAPTION(S):

Chairman Giles Clarke faces calls to quit over the ECB's links with Sir Allen Stanford; Sir Allen Stanford