It meant the top job in world cricket would not go the way of the money-munching Indian cricket board, the staid English or the insular Aussies.

"That can only be a good thing," the global community seemed to say.

For South Africans, it was affirmation that their administrators are not so bad after all. As the bonus scandal continues to dance in the shadows of the country's cricket, the reputations of those who run the game have become increasingly sullied.

Besides being seemingly incapable of handling money correctly, they have earned nothing but suspicion.

While Gerald Majola's disciplinary hearing waits to happen, acting CEO Jacques Faul continues to woo those who condemned Cricket SA (including, The Times has been reliably informed, a potential sponsor) and acting president Willie Basson trumpets transformation, Cricket SA still remains an organisation that is distrusted. Thankfully, Lorgat and Richardson may rescue South Africa's image until that happens.

Lorgat will leave the ICC in June, having implemented policies for which cricket can only be grateful. Under him, more money was spent on the affiliate nations than ever before.

Countries such as Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea and Uganda have developed at a rapid rate. The former has already competed in a World T20 and the other two are threatening to qualify in the coming years.

Off the field, Lorgat was in charge when the ICC underwent a full governance review conducted by Lord Woolf. The subsequent report made an important recommendation that has since also become part of the instructions issued to Cricket SA through the Nicholson commission.

The Woolf report called for a restructuring of the ICC's board, which would result in more independent directors sitting on the board and reduce the power of test-playing nations at that level.

Lorgat has embraced this suggestion as one of the most important tenets in running a sports body. He has stressed the need for independent and adequately qualified people to form a board, rather than servants of the game who may not have the necessary skills to actually administer cricket.

Lorgat is an accountant while Richardson is a lawyer. Both have vocations that support their professional roles in cricket.

That's not to say the dedicated people who come up from club level, such as former Cricket SA president AK Khan, have no part to play in the way the game is run. But, their role may not be making financial, marketing and accounting sectors. Instead, they should concentrate on cricketing matters.

Lorgat is open to an offer to take over at Cricket SA.

His interest is subject to a total board restructure. Nicholson proposed that 75% of the new board is made up of independent directors.

They may not have roots in the game, but they will bring the same sense of security to Cricket SA that Richardson's appointment at the ICC has done for many in the game.