On the Front Foot: Awful timing but Morgan must be in the frame to replace Clarke

These are troubled times – yet again – for Giles Clarke. If anybody can get out of the latest mess, he probably can, given his propensity for survival and the sheer single-mindedness with which he conducts affairs in his role as chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board. But he is certainly up against it and, indeed, many observers might be perplexed if the ECB wished him to remain. If Clarke were to go any time soon, the future structure of the domestic game and the way in which the game is broadcast might be changed. That this contentious issue should be around now at what should be the happiest of times for English cricket, as they appear in their first World Twenty20 final today, seems perfectly daft. Clarke has been served with a writ for defamation by International Management Group, the sports marketing firm, for allegations he made recently about their part in plans to expand the Indian Premier League to England. IMG want a public apology. Clarke has already refused to resign once, following the ECB's disastrous – if brief – liaison with the disgraced American billionaire Allen Stanford, when the England team played (and lost) a winner-take-all match for $20m. The chairman led that particularly ill-fated mission. He must have shed support among many and the ECB do not look a particularly united or selfless organisation with him at the helm. Although his period of office is due to be extended until 2012, there must now be serious doubts that he can lead the English game until then. If a replacement is sought, the ECB could do worse than go back to a former chairman. David Morgan, a safe pair of hands who did not always cover him-self in glory but knows well the nooks and crannies of cricket's corridors of power, finishes his term of office as International Cricket Council president next month. Perhaps a call could be made about his availability.

Yardy is captain contender

Whatever happens today, England may need a new Twenty20 captain soon. Although Paul Collingwood has had an excellent competition (as a leader, not as a batsman), he is not a natural and has always seen himself as keeping the seat warm. It was intriguing then to hear coach Andy Flower talk about the leadership qualities of one of the team – "streetwise, an internal leader, good under pressure". Step forward an unsung player who was a surprise choice for this squad after an extremely brief international career three years ago but who has been hugely influential in the past three weeks, Mike Yardy.

Reds tells a good story

The legendary West Indian commentator Reds Perreira has published his life story. He was at the T20 matches in St Lucia last week, marketing it. Perreira, who has some critical observations about Australia's conduct, tried to get himself involved in a row with the ICC at one point, so they would eject him from the ground, guaranteeing him free publicity. But the ICC rarely do what you want.

The joy of sixes

Mike Hussey's extraordinary innings of 60 from 24 balls in Australia's equally astonishing defeat of Pakistan in their World Twenty20 semi-final ensured a record number of sixes in the tournament. There were 265 in the first tournament in South Africa, a mere 166 in England last summer, and now there have been 268 in this event. Of these, England have hit 29, compared to 27 in the first one and only 12 last time out. They have, as they keep reminding us, more power in their elbows.

s.brenkley@independent.co.uk