By John L. Aaron

Organized women's cricket has long been dormant in the United States, however, that is about to change as the International Cricket Council (ICC) encourages all 104 of its member-countries worldwide to help develop and promote the sport among its female cricketing counterparts.

The United States of America Cricket Association (USACA), an Associate Member of the ICC has "signed on" and will hold its first organized tournament on March 28-29 this year at the Broward County Cricket Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Eastern Conference versus the Western Conference match-up will see players primarily from New York, New Jersey, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and Florida, compete with the Western Conference's top female players from California, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, and Chicago, among other States.

New York Blazes A Trail

The New York Cricket Region kicked off its search for female players some three months ago, under the guidance of the region's Women's Cricket Coordinator Venelda Wallace, a former USA national netball player and cricket club manager, and USACA Regional Representative Krish Prasad, along with a supporting cast of committee members, including former St. Lucian and West Indies female player Roselyn Emanuel, who has since been selected as the Eastern Conference’s captain.

The New York ladies got off on the right footing by helping themselves secure funding to defray some of the expenses associated with getting the Eastern Conference XI to Florida. A Sunday morning fundraising breakfast, complete with a Karaoke session was held in Queens, NY and was well attended by friends and supporters of the female cricket initiative. In addition to raising funds, the group is very grateful for a very generous donation of cricket gear from Chubby Bedessee of Bedessee Sporting Goods, an ardent cricket supporter. Mohamed Rana of SA Sports, Ravi of Cricket Zone, and Lesly Lowe, President of the Commonwealth Cricket League in New York and an entrepreneur, also contributed items of protective cricket gear to the ladies. DreamCricket.com has arranged for DirecTV to sponsor shirts for the team.

With the outdoor weather not conducive to proper practice, the ladies turned to the recently opened facilities of New York Indoor Cricket in Brooklyn, for four weekends of indoor net practice, and under the watchful eyes of youth coach Linden Fraser and others. From all reports the women have been gelling as a very supportive group. Two joint training sessions between New York and Atlantic Region players, were organized at the Brooklyn indoor nets and the Indoor Cricket USA facility in New Jersey. Following the joint training session last Saturday in Brooklyn, a squad of fourteen (14) players was selected. A manager and coach are expected to be named shortly.

Star-studded Line Up

The Eastern Conference squad includes Roselyn Emanuel (Capt.), Sana Razzak (Vice Capt.), Shirley-Ann Bonaparte, Indomatie Goordial-John, Joy C. Jones, Tamika Kowlessar, Doris Francis, Diana Richelieu Lisa Matthew, Deowantie Lisa Persaud, Isolyn Sutherland, Olga Charles, Ivy Mahabir, and Devonie Vanessa Hayles. The squad includes a number of experienced cricketers who have played first-class cricket for their native countries, including Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Pakistan, St. Vincent, and Trinidad & Tobago, among others.

Some of the standout players on the squad selected are, Shirley-Ann Bonaparte (Trinidad & Tobago and the West Indies), Skipper Roselyn Emanuel (St. Lucia and the West Indies), Vice Captain Sana Razzak (Lahore Region and Pakistan), Joy C. Jones (Grenada and West Indies), Indomattie Goordial-John (Trinidad & Tobago and West Indies), and Deowantie Lisa Persaud (Guyana and West Indies Youth), Doris Francis (Dominica and West Indies), Isolyn Sutherland (Jamaica), and Olga Charles (Trinidad & Tobago).

Several other players have been placed on stand-by for the Florida tournament. The United States is expected to compete in the ICC Americas Women's Cricket Championships scheduled for May 17-24 this year, at the same stadium in Florida, and a number of the players participating in the East-West Conference tournament are expected to be selected to represent the USA at the ICC Americas tournament.

That tournament will include teams from Argentina, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, and the United States of America.