Dud deal doesn't stop Lillee

Pace legend Dennis Lillee is set to be elected unopposed as WACA president despite taking personal responsibility for recruiting developer Ascot Capital in a move that ultimately cost the association $7 million.

No other candidate ran against Lillee when nominations for the WACA presidency closed last month. He will be elected for his sixth two-year term when the WACA ballot closes next week.

However, a large field of candidates will contest two vacancies on the board. The candidates include current treasurer Alan Rule, Lord's Taverners chairman Mike Snell, former player Kade Harvey, lawyer Tom Percy and Peter Cutler, a recent candidate to become chief executive of the WA Football Commission.

WACA members will use an electronic ballot for the first time to fill the two vacancies. The WACA reported this week that it lost $1.9 million last year, the biggest loss in its 129 years.

It also revealed that the disastrous ground redevelopment, which included a $3.6 million payout to Ascot, cost it $7 million.

Lillee took responsibility for introducing Ascot to the WACA in his address to members in the annual report.

"I personally persuaded the ever-willing and enthusiastic Ascot Capital to help the WACA," he said. "I was personally sad and disappointed to see the WACA abandon its redevelopment plans last December."

The WACA revealed that it received an extra $3.6 million from Cricket Australia as part of a new national financial model but $1.5 million was returned to the parent body in ticket sales.

Cricket income and expenditure both rose by more than $2 million.

Lillee said redeveloping the WACA remained the only viable way to secure cricket's future.