The decision 12 months ago to back Sutherland in the midst of strong criticism from former captain Ricky Ponting, among others, has been vindicated, but just as significant is Sutherland's willingness to keep going after 13 years in the job. His contract was due to finish next June, after Australia and New Zealand host the 2015 World Cup, but chairman Wally Edwards told staff at CA's Jolimont headquarters on Thursday that he would move from a fixed contract to "ongoing" staff employment.

While last year's $590 million media rights deal is the biggest off-field achievement of Sutherland's tenure, his decision (along with team performance boss Pat Howard) to sack Mickey Arthur and appoint Darren Lehmann coach on the eve of the 2013 Ashes was probably the one he staked his future on.

Vindication came in the form of Australia's 5-0 annihilation of England in last summer's Ashes, although Edwards had said, before the summer, Sutherland would have kept his job even if the scoreline had been reversed.

At the time, Sutherland was adamant that he would keep his focus on the bigger picture for Australian cricket, despite his obvious desire for on-field success.

"The change [to ongoing employment] recognises the outstanding job James is doing leading Australian cricket," Edwards told CA staff. "The game's comprehensive strategic plan is on track and the outcomes from our team performance, governance and national financial model reviews are starting to take hold."

"As a board, we want James to continue his work leading Australian cricket, with the aim to be the number one sport for viewership, fan passion, participation, team success and to be a completely unified national sport."

"The game is currently in a strong position and is well-placed to realise its potential. The numbers speak for themselves with grassroots participation, attendances, television and digital audiences at all-time highs. Further to that, Australian sides are either sitting at, or challenging, for the world's number one ranking."

Australia's Test team is ranked second behind arch-rival South Africa after a brief stint at No.1, while the one-day team has just slipped from first to fourth and the Twenty20 side is at No.5.

Edwards said annual participation had grown from 436,000 to more than 1.1 million on Sutherland's watch, while revenue has grown from $56.5 million to a forecast of more than $300 million.

"The overall financial strength of cricket as a not-for-profit, community-based game that faces the challenging need to reinvest more in the game's future cannot be underestimated. It is allowing us to pay record dividends to our members and to reward international, state and BBL [Big Bash League] players appropriately for the commercial value they bring to the sport," Edwards said.

Ponting's criticism of Sutherland was that CA lacked vision and didn't invest enough in the national teams during its glory years, but the consensus is that, since the 2011 Argus review, CA has got its house in order even if there is more to do at the grassroots level and to be a leader on the global stage.

Sutherland, who was younger than then-Australian captain Steve Waugh when he started as chief executive in 2001, turns 50 next year, and there had been speculation he would choose to move on after his contract expired.

The former Victorian paceman has driven the effort to improve Sheffield Shield pitches amid concerns that "result" wickets were hampering the development of young batsmen and marginalising spinners. Has also championed the effort to pioneer day-night Tests, and will now want to see that through to a proposed floodlit fixture against New Zealand the summer after this one.