Vying for the office of West Indian Clyde Walcott, the incumbent chairman until July next year, was Australia's Malcolm Gray, South Africa's Krish Mackerdhuj and India's Jagmohan Dalmiya, a known expansionalist who wants radical changes to the most traditional of games.

If elected, Dalmiya will examine ways of reducing draws in Test matches, introducing a world club championship and developing cricket into a world-wide sport.

This is the first time there has been a contest for the post, and the ICC is yet to outline the election procedure.

Forty votes will be cast, with the nine Test playing nations each having two votes, and the 22 associate countries one.

ICC regulations appear to require a two-thirds majority vote from the full Test playing countries, but Dalmiya, who has the support of India, Pakistan and possibly Sri Lanka, argues that a simple majority -- 21 of the 40 votes to be cast -- should be enough to gain election.

He believes he has this majority, while Gray, a former chairman of the Australian Cricket Board, and Mackerdhuj, share the remainder.

'It is up to Clyde Walcott to come forward with a solution - otherwise there will be a stalemate,' Dalmiya, secretary of the Indian cricket board and a Calcutta-based millionaire, told the Evening Standard.

'We believe the constitution allows for a simple majority vote to be taken,' he said.

'The issue has not arisen at the ICC before because there has only been one nomination for the post - but now it has to be sorted out,' he added.

If there is an impasse, Walcott may be asked to serve a further year while an updated constitution is drawn up.

Another possible outcome could be the withdrawal of either Gray or Mackerdhuj, who, standing alone, would have enough support to defeat Dalmiya regardless of the voting procedure.