Ronnie Irani stands down from Essex board

Ronnie Irani has stepped down from his position on Essex's board, ending a long association with the club he also represented as a player between 1994 and 2007

Irani, 47, had left his position as chair of the club's cricket committee in August this year after nearly six years in the job. A press release from the club at the time said it was so Irani could "focus on his business commitments" but two people familiar with the situation told Cricbuzz that he was forced out after a number of players raised frustrations with what they felt was too much meddling in team affairs.

The chair of the cricket committee at Essex has traditionally never had a day-to-day role with the team. Usually, the captain and coach are left to run things in the dressing room but