James Orchard Joins Cricket Australia Board

James Orchard has been appointed to the Cricket Australia (CA) Board, filling the vacancy left by John Harden, the previous South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) director, who stepped down in May after eight years as a director. Orchard will begin his role on July 24.

Orchard has been a member of the SACA Board since 2019 and has served as Vice President since 2022. He brings a strong background in both finance and cricket to the CA Board. Orchard is a Chartered Accountant and the Managing Director of accounting firm Accru-Harris. He is also a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) and the Institute of Company Directors.

Orchard’s cricket experience includes playing for the Sturt Cricket Club for over 20 years, during which he served as First XI captain for four seasons. He was also a member of the South Australia state training squad and has been involved in junior coaching and development.

CA Chair Mike Baird stated that Orchard’s professional expertise and extensive cricket knowledge would complement the current directors’ skills. Baird noted that Orchard’s appointment comes at an exciting time for CA as they aim to grow the game across Australia and support the national teams during the upcoming 2024-25 season.

SACA President Will Rayner highlighted Orchard’s vast experience both on the cricket field and in finance, noting that his contributions will be valuable assets for Cricket Australia. Rayner expressed that while SACA will miss Orchard, they look forward to collaborating with him in his new role on the CA Board.