USA kicked out of ICC - again

A year and a half ago, I said that the USA needed to be removed from international competition and forced to get it's house in order. The decision by the ICC, today, to suspend the USA's membership and competing privileges is the best thing to happen to American cricket in a while. At least, it will be, if they stick to their guns this time.

Only when people in this country realise what is truly at stake, will they be motivated to effect the changes that are required.

The text of the ICC's letter to USACA is reproduced below. I'm cautiously optimistic that they'll stand by their decision, and, this time, USACA will really have to sort itself out.

Dear Gladstone

The ICC Executive Board met in Cape Town on 1^st & 2^nd March 2007 and in the course of its deliberations, considered the current situation in USA Cricket at considerable length.

You will be aware that ICC officials have been inundated with correspondence from disgruntled stakeholders of the game in the USA.

The following four matters were the major areas of concern:

1. USACA’s failure to meet the agreed and subsequently extended deadlines for the adoption of the new USACA constitution and the holding of elections.

2. The manner in which the new constitution has been adopted and the apparent lack of adequate opportunity for member clubs and leagues to consider and have input into the constitution.

3. The very short period in which nominations for the positions of office bearers is to take place.

4. The failure to establish an appropriate election auditor and dispute resolution process.

Last year, the ICC Executive Board agreed to lift the suspension of USACA as an ICC member on the strict understanding that the ICC deadlines would be met and that the 12 member interim Board would achieve an acceptable and harmonious program to amend the constitution and hold elections that satisfied the requirements of stakeholders.

Accordingly, the ICC Executive Board has resolved as follows:

1. The suspension of USACA will be re-activated with immediate effect.

2. USA will be withdrawn from the World Cricket League Division 3 Series to be held in Darwin in May.

3. The annual ICC grant that would otherwise have been paid to USACA on 15^th April 2007 will be withheld as too will the ICC World Cricket League national team preparation grant and direct funding support from the ICC Americas Region Development Program.

4. WICB, as the ICC Full Member in the region, has been asked to play a lead role in monitoring progress in the USA. The suspension will stand until such time as WICB recommends and the Executive Board agrees that it should be lifted.

Gladstone, by way of comment, we are saddened that progress has been minimal and that you have not been able to achieve and implement a governance structure that is accepted by cricketers in the USA and by ICC. In particular, we are disappointed by the fact that your team will not take part in Division 3 of the World Cricket League and will, in fact, be relegated. This occurs at a time when many objective observers strongly believe that the game in the USA is sufficiently strong to warrant USA being included in the ICC Cricket World Cup which commences this month.

In conclusion, since 2004 ICC has been urging you and your Board to solve the governance issues that you face and you have been unable to do so.

Mr Ken Gordon, President of WICB, will be available to discuss any of these matters with you when he is free of his pressing CWC 2007 commitments.