USA Cricketer : Women's cricket

USA Cricket: Episode 3 - Guest Darren Beazley Part 1 of the US Cricket Podcast

openingbat — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:40:00 GMT

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By Peter Della Penna (on Twitter)

In part one of a two-part interview, USACA CEO Darren Beazley discusses his background coming from Western Australia where he was an administrator in several different sports including cricket, sailing and Australian Rules Football prior to taking on the position as the USA Cricket Association’s chief executive in February. Among other topics, Beazley also talks about how he hopes to rectify the lack of domestic women’s cricket tournaments since the team came back from the 2011 ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Bangladesh as well as how he hopes to recruit the 32 disenfranchised leagues from the 2012 USACA election back into the USACA fold.

The full episode can be accessed by clicking here and is also available for free download on iTunes. The following is a brief selection of quotes from part one of the interview.

Image (right) - USACA CEO Darren Beazley speaking at the tournament banquet following the 2013 ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 in Florida. [Courtesy: Peter Della Penna/DreamCricket.com]

Peter Della Penna: One of the interesting things I found out about you is that way back when, you used to coach or teach lacrosse in Australia. Kind of similar in some ways to what you’re doing here, I can’t imagine lacrosse is a very popular sport in Australia. What was that experience like and what are some of the things you think you can take from that and some of the other jobs you’ve had - you’ve worked with development in the Australian Football League in South Africa, those kind of things. What are some of the things you learned from kind of developing a sport and teaching and spreading a sport where it’s not very popular in those territories that you think you can apply here?

Darren Beazley: My view when I was teaching – I used to be a phys ed teacher many moons ago and that’s where I taught the lacrosse – was that we have a responsibility to expose young people to all types of games. Now lacrosse was a game in Australia that not many of my students had ever played and the thing I liked about it, it was a really good leveling sport because all of a sudden they weren’t playing through the planes like a vertical plane with a cricket shot or a horizontal plane with a baseball shot because all of a sudden you’re catching and throwing from above the waist and there’s not many sports where you do that, particularly with an implement. So it was a great leveler to find out which were the good hand-eye, but also it’s a very fast running game so which were the good athletes who had the big tanks. I guess I took a lot of that knowledge into developing a niche sport in South Africa and I’m going to apply that knowledge here. What are the fundamentals? The fundamentals are that you need to make sure that the experience that you have is an excellent one because there’s too many reasons for young people who come and taste the sport to not play it. Football is very big here, baseball is very big here. So if they come down to cricket and they have a bad experience, the coach doesn’t make it fun or is too hard on the young person coming down, they’re not going to hang around. They’ll go whereas if you’re in an established sport like cricket is in Perth or in Australia, if the coach is a bit hard on you you’re more likely to keep coming back because it is the sport. I think that’s really important and our coaches need to understand no matter where they are in America, they’ve got a responsibility to give our kids a good experience the first time. The second thing in terms of high performance like my very brief involvement with the men’s national team, same thing. We’ve got to make sure that when they come into the national team that everything is done very professionally and very well so that they think they’re part of something very special because if you do it half-hearted, then they’ll go, ‘This sport’s not serious. This sport’s never going to make an impact on the landscape’ and therefore they’re going to go and choose something else. If I can take one lesson that I’ve learned from Major League Soccer, I think the work that they’ve done and I know it’s been a long time that they’ve been doing it, but from what I can see from the outside, they seem to have done a very very professionally run league and I think they’ve shown what can be done. I think cricket can learn a lot from Major League Soccer.

PDP: What do you see the state of cricket in this country at the moment? A lot of people like making the comparison to soccer and they say cricket is right now is where soccer was 30 years ago or 40 years ago and look where soccer is now. What do you see as the state of cricket and how far off cricket can be from becoming that status that soccer is enjoying now in this country?

DB: It’s the biggest challenge I think I face Peter because I’d like to first of all say to your listeners that the volunteers that have got US Cricket to the point that they have should be really proud of themselves. You think about 49 leagues, 1100 teams across the country, about 35,000 people playing the game, that’s a fantastic effort. But it’s all been done on the back of volunteers by and large. My sense is looking at this I don’t know how much further US Cricket could continue to grow on the basis of volunteerism and the reason for that is that our jobs are more and more demanding. Our appreciation of family time is becoming more apparent so people are less and less likely to give up huge amounts of times to go and try and keep things going… This is the big challenge I think for US Cricket to make that move from amateurism to professionalism. What that means is that there’s going to have to be a real delicate balance from my team at USACA to make sure that we completely respect the work that the volunteers have done to this point and to celebrate the great work that they’ve done and in the same time for the volunteers to understand that things have changed. They do need to let go and they do need to take a bit of advice from people who are doing this in a professional capacity. My sense is from the people I’ve met – and I haven’t been over to the west coast yet – but I’ve been in my seven or eight weeks I’ve been in the job, I’ve been around to a lot of places and I’ve met some really good people. I’m pretty confident that we can make a dent. Now further to your point, can we get as far as soccer has in that time? I’m not sure yet Peter. I haven’t seen enough of it to comment on that but I think we’ve got a good foundation.

PDP: A lot of womens players around the country are very frustrated at the lack of opportunities. USA qualified for the 2011 Women’s World Cup Qualifier. It was a big moment for development in US Cricket, in particular women’s development, and things have stalled since then. There was a great opportunity to sustain momentum and keep momentum going in the right direction but since the women have come back from Bangladesh, there has not been a single domestic tournament organized for them. There were some promises made in 2012 for a women’s tournament. Never happened. How do you get that momentum and that faith restored in the women’s program?

DB: I’ve spoken to two ladies, two women’s coordinators, one from New York and one from here in the South East Region. She’s based in Georgia. My first step is to actually get the women’s representatives from each of the eight regions. At the last USACA board meeting, all regional representatives were asked to put up the name of that person. We’ll speak in the next two weeks and I want to get a national view of this of what they’d like to see happen from that. We’ll then develop part of our overall strategy will be, a core pillar will be aimed at women’s cricket. We will devise some sort of a system for this year. I think it’s important. I don’t know how it looks Peter but I think it’s important. What you’re saying is right that our ladies get a chance to play together and have some sort of an opportunity this year because as I said if we’re going to undertake international duties in 2014, we need to start doing that now. I can’t say after eight weeks in the job exactly what that looks like, but I am firmly committed to making sure that there is some opportunity for the ladies to get together and play some sort of competitive cricket.

PDP: One of the things that has bothered a lot of stakeholders around the country is how that elections played out over the course of 2011 and 2012. Reintegration has been a buzzword in international cricket over the last year. Kevin Pietersen’s reintegration process, Ross Taylor’s reintegration process with New Zealand. What is the reintegration process for the 32 leagues that were disenfranchised and not allowed to vote in the last USACA election?

DB: I’m not really 100% sure about all the facts in that. Obviously I’ve spoken to a lot of stakeholders and they’ve certainly told me their view of it good and bad. What I’m here for, I’ve made a big commitment to come here. This is personally I guess for me terrific because my family is from the US but this is a really challenging job but I’m doing it for one reason because I was lucky enough to play cricket in Australia but also overseas and cricket’s been good to me. It’s my turn to put something back. So that’s my motivation. In terms of some of the things that have happened, what I’m hoping to do is I’ve now spoken to seven of the eight regions. Some people are pro-USACA and some are very vocally not pro-USACA but I’ve offered the olive branch. I’ve said I’m happy to talk to everybody. I’ve mapped out some of my ideas and some of my views and it’s resonated. We have got now some member leagues that have paid their dues, already become financial in the last few weeks that are saying, ‘You know what. I’m not happy with what necessarily happened last year but I’m prepared to be a big enough person to put it behind me and I’m gonna give this guy a go’ and I really appreciate that support. Peter, not everyone has done that and I respect that too. That’s fine. But you know what I’m gonna do is I’m gonna keep doing what I’m doing. I think that further to what I said previously that most people are not silly that are involved in cricket. They can see good administration when they see it. They recognize it. So my job over the next six to 12 months is to put in place a serious sustainable long-term cricket structure that will have people wanting to come back on board. To those that haven’t signed up again, I would ask you to reconsider. I would ask you please to give us a go, pay your USACA membership. There is a governance committee which is headed up by Shelton Glasgow. Once you’ve paid your USACA membership, they will come in contact with you and they will walk you through what needs to be done in order to address some of the issues. For those that say, ‘No. I don’t want to do that. I’m going to sit back for a year,’ I’ll respect that too. But you know what? I’ll work with anybody to do my very best for US Cricket. It’s not one that I’m going to be able to wave a magic wand Peter, as much as I’d like to, and pretend that some of the things in the past haven’t happened and I don’t want to make comment one way or the other. It’s not for me to do that. I can only look forward. I’m not trying to pretend that what happened in the past didn’t happen, but I can’t really change it and I don’t know enough about it so my sense is the best thing I can do is continue to try and make those offers and those that want to come with us will. Those that don’t? Well, they can make their own decision.

Team USA Cricketer Delkash Shahriarian to launch cricket program for young girls

openingbat — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 13:49:00 GMT

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'Cricket for Girls' program

The Cricket League of New Jersey (CLNJ) Youth program and DreamCricket Academy announced their support of Delkash Shahriarian’s plans to launch a 'Cricket for Girls' program starting this Fall. Delkash is a member of the USA Women's cricket team.

The program will kick off with a free two-hour clinic for girls conducted by Delkash at DreamCricket Academy's indoor nets in Hillsborough, NJ on Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 11AM. Please email camps@dreamcricket.com to register.

Pic (Right): USA cricketer Delkash Shahriarian will launch a cricket program for young girls in collaboration with DreamCricket Academy

The clinic will be open to girls 9 through 16 years of age. All participants will receive a free goodie bag at the end of the clinic, which includes a hat, a certificate of participation and a t-shirt. Once schools open, efforts will be made to introduce cricket to girls in elementary and middle schools in Central New Jersey with the support of USYCA.

First woman to play in the Cricket League of New Jersey

CLNJ Youth already runs a successful age-group program for boys. The more advanced boys play as part of the CLNJ Colts team in Division 3 of CLNJ adult league. The Colts, comprising fifteen U-15 boys, play under the supervision of Coach Earl Daley and are guided by two senior chaperone players who provide situation-oriented mentoring to the boys.

On Sunday, August 19, CLNJ Colts made history by fielding the first ever woman to play in a CLNJ league match. Delkash Shahriarian was one of the chaperone players in the final match of the season for the Colts.

Pic (Right): Delkash Shahriarian opened the Colts innings with Rohan Aravindh in last Sunday's match.

Speaking after the game, Delkash said: “The game on Sunday was amazing and our win was a good way to end the season. The Colts are a very talented team and it is great to see CLNJ and DreamCricket support and nurture their talents."

Speaking of her involvement with the NJ Youth cricket program, Delkash said: “I have now seen first-hand the commitment of DreamCricket Academy and CLNJ for promoting youth cricket at the grassroots level. Girls should also take advantage of this youth cricket movement and I am willing to provide my time so that more girls can come forward and enjoy this wonderful game.”

About Delkash Shahriarian

Delkash Shahriarian was the captain of the Rustom Baug Sir Ness Wadia Club in Mumbai, a team she successfully led to victory over stronger women’s teams like Godrej Baug and Dadar Parsi Colony during the 2004-05 season. After graduating from Rachna Sansad’s Academy of Architecture, Delkash joined the prestigious Pratt Institute in New York for her Masters in Architecture. Following her graduation from Pratt, Delkash returned to playing cricket while working as an Architect.

At the 2011 USACA Women’s National Championship, her exceptional performance behind the wickets, followed with a half-century, ensured her a spot on the National Team. A wicket-keeper batswoman, Delkash represented USA in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Bangladesh in November 2011 and followed that up with a tour of Cayman Islands for the ICC Americas Women’s T20 in April 2012.

Delkash plans to continue her career with the USA Women’s National Cricket team. She continues to train and improve her game skills in preparation for the upcoming Women’s World Cup Qualifier trials in 2013.

ACF meets in Orlando, FL. Sets path forward

openingbat — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 20:15:00 GMT

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[Source: ACF Media Release]

The American Cricket Federation held its first Face to Face meeting in Orlando, Florida on August 11, 2012. The entire steering committee, representatives of various leagues from across the country, thought leaders, and heads of the various sub-committees attended the meeting in-person as well as via WebEx.

The meeting began with a formal welcome by Khalid Motiwala, CEO of the Orlando based host league – the Florida Cricket Conference (FCC). The league left no stone unturned with the preparations for the meeting. FCC booked rooms, arranged volunteers for airport pick-ups and drop-offs, and organized conference facilities at the Double Tree Hilton in Orlando.

Pic (Right): ACF Constitution sub-committee in session

Official proceedings began with a welcome by Leighton Greenidge, the Convenor of the Steering Committee, who spoke of the organization’s mission and the momentum achieved by ACF in the short time since its inception. He noted that over ten leagues had already sent in expressions of support and another dozen or so leagues and organizations were looking to do so in the weeks ahead. The Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board led by the trail-blazing Avinash Varma, was one of the first leagues to support the ACF initiative.

The tone for the day-long meeting was set by Atul Rai, advisory board member and cricket administrator. Speaking about the meeting’s theme – American Cricket – A Way Forward, Rai reminded the attendees to maintain a laser-like focus on ACF’s mission and values, which he termed as progressive and pro-cricket. Rai said that ‘a lot of pieces needed to fit together.’ However, he said that he was confident that every member would demonstrate a definitive commitment to strengthen and invigorate the process.

John Aaron, advisory board member, thanked FCC and its sponsors – AVIS, Third Eye Vision, Sky Telecom, First Choice Transportation Group, and FCC member clubs for hosting the meeting, which he called one of historic significance and a turning point for cricket in the U.S. – a rebirth that was so badly needed.

“The biggest challenge,” Aaron said, “comes from within, as there may be some non-believers or others who seek to minimize our efforts aimed at self-reliance and success.” However, he urged the ACF to stay true to its goal of eliminating the distance between cricketer and administrator, based on trust, transparency and integrity.

Pic (Right): Attendees of ACF Face to Face meeting in Orlando, FL

The first session in the morning was led by Prof. Gangaram Singh and Stephen Rooke who provided an overview of ACF’s proposed constitution. The constitution would provide the bedrock on which ACF’s pillars of effective governance and democratic structures would be built. Stephen Rooke said that the organization would have built-in checks and balances and the representative structure would be on the lines of a congress and a senate - consistent with modern democratic governance. In addition, the executive would comprise direct representatives of adult leagues, and direct representatives of clubs and players. There would also be a seat at the table for representatives of women’s cricket, youth cricket and non-traditional cricket.

Stephen Rooke answered questions about governance and went on to describe the mechanical and participatory aspects related to the ratification of the constitution.

A session on membership followed the discussion on the constitution. Shahid Ahmed of Michigan Cricket Association spoke of the membership categories. He laid out the philosophy in very simple words – ACF existed for its members and every member must have tangible benefits from associating with ACF.

In the afternoon session, the media and communications sub-committee plan was presented followed by a presentation by Leighton Greenidge regarding the tournament plan.

Pic (Right): ACF Facilities sub-committee in session

The 2012 tournament would be on inter-league lines since the regional structure would take a bit longer to evolve as the membership process played itself out, Greenidge said. The 2012 tournament is expected to be announced shortly.

The second afternoon session focused on youth cricket. Speaking about responsibilities of clubs and leagues as custodians of cricket, Manas Sahu, Massachusetts State Cricket League’s president and convenor of the youth committee, said that ACF would develop a template that each league could adopt and provide resources to implement the plan. Manas also proposed a reward mechanism for leagues that implemented a plan for youth cricket.

Jamie Harrison, who made a special guest pitch on behalf of USYCA, made a strong case for why ACF’s supporters should help promote cricket to schools. He said that USYCA had a number of resources available such as free cricket kits, brochures and training material that ACF members could utilize if they wished to advance cricket in schools across USA.

A presentation on women’s cricket followed in which Durga Das noted about the need for grassroots efforts starting with schools and colleges. Following that, Kamal Azeez spoke about how the ACF community should join hands and create a knowledge-base on constructing and maintaining cricket facilities including loose gravel, concrete, or rolled sub-strata as well as turf, synthetic, matting and coir surfaces.

Avi Gaje, who was nominated to the steering committee, spoke of the growing popularity of hard tennis ball cricket leagues across USA. Gaje was tasked with developing a road map for non-traditional cricket.

In the last session for the day, Jagan Jagannathan, Interim Secretary of the ACF summarized the day’s take-aways and presented a timeline for creating a fully functional entity with active membership by October. Jagannathan also presented a straw man with deliverables for 2013, the first full year of ACF’s existence.

USA Cricket: Durga Das joins ACF Steering Committee

openingbat — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 13:15:00 GMT

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[Source: American Cricket Federation Press Release]

American Cricket Federation (ACF) announced on Thursday that Durga Das has agreed to join its Steering Committee. Durga will also serve as the coordinator for ACF’s Women's Cricket Committee initiatives.

Durga has a rich resume in cricket and was most recently the captain of USA Women's Team that reached the World Cup Qualifier in Bangladesh. Previously, Durga captained Stella Maris college, Madras University and eventually All India Universities cricket teams. Durga has also played for Tamil Nadu State and South Zone and was vice captain of Central Zone in India before being selected for the Indian Squad.

Off the field, Durga Das is a successful entrepreneur starting her career at 14 and has co-founded numerous companies including Innova Solutions, NetScaler, Paypod,vMobo and most recently DAS STAR Ventures. Durga created DAS STAR as a vehicle to generate a new model of investing, enabling first entrant entrepreneurs to raise money and build expertise, leading them towards additional future funding or buy-out.

Accepting the challenge, Durga Das said that she looked forward to the winds of change in American Cricket. "I do know that no great change can come overnight but planting effective seeds today will certainly bear fruit in good time. ACF's mission requires sustained effort, courage, discipline, nurturing trust and last but not least, a generous hand with time and money," Durga said.

Picture courtesy: ACF/Durga Das

USA Cricket Association board declares 32 out of 47 leagues ineligible to vote in elections

openingbat — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 04:36:00 GMT

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USACA Media Release

Executive Summary of the USACA Board Meeting to Review League Compliance
February 26th 2012

The USACA board met on Sunday February 26th to review the final compliance report from Mr. Robert Chance, Esq. on USACA league compliance. Information on the compliance process can be found at http://www.usaca.org/articles/compliance.html and includes the report for each league from February 11th. A final updated report will be provided on the USACA website.

In the board meeting Robert Chance reviewed the process and timeline he had followed since commencing his work with the leagues in September 2011. After presenting this background he answered questions and moved on to describe that he had found the following:

A) 12 “Leagues that should be considered eligible to vote”;
B) 12 “Leagues that could be considered eligible to vote, depending on Board decision”, and
C) 17 “Leagues that should not be considered eligible to vote”

Robert Chance then provided the Board the reason(s) for each individual league being placed in categories B and C. Mr. Chance will be providing updated feedback to each individual league and their Regional Representatives, as he has during the compliance review process.

After it was ascertained there were no further questions for Robert Chance he left the call to allow the board to discuss and deliberate.

The board accepted unanimously all 12 leagues Robert Chance recommended should be considered as eligible to vote (A) and also accepted his recommendation not to allow the 17 leagues in C) to vote with six yes votes and two no votes.

Out of category B) the Board reviewed each league individually and after debate voted to accept 3 leagues as eligible to vote. Board votes ranged from unanimous to no less than six yes votes and two no votes.

The final board-approved list of USACA leagues eligible to vote are as follows:

American Cricket League
Atlanta Georgia Cricket Conference
Brooklyn Cricket League
Central Florida Cricket Association
Central Texas Cricket League
Great Lakes Cricket Conference
Houston Cricket League
Minnesota Cricket Association
New Jersey Cricket Association
New York Cricket League
North Texas Cricket Association
Northwest Cricket League
South Florida Cricket Alliance
Washington Cricket League
Washington Metro Cricket Board

The board expressed disappointment that only around 1/3rd of USACA’s membership is in good standing. The USACA General Manager will be asked to continue his work helping the leagues get compliant and all the Regional Representatives are encouraged to work with the leagues in their region to help them get complaint.

Elections will now proceed and more information will be sent out detailing the process, schedule and the appointment of the CPA.

Questions: contact 1st Vice President Michael Gale at Mgale@Pulsepointgroup.com.

USA Cricket: Results of Robert Chance's USACA member leagues audit published

openingbat — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:39:00 GMT

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By Peter Della Penna

The long-awaited results of the compliance audit review conducted by Austin, Texas, lawyer Robert Chance were published late Saturday on the USACA web site. According to the audit, none of the 47 USACA member leagues listed was able to fully satisfy all nine requirements from the audit.

According to the audit, there are at least six leagues who are in serious danger of not being allowed to vote in regional and national elections as each of the five was deemed to have provided insufficient information to determine compliance in each and every of the nine categories of the audit. Three of these leagues belong to the Central East Region, one to the Atlantic, one to the Central West and one to the North West.

Two leagues in the Central East, Great Lakes Cricket Conference and Midwest Cricket Conference, came the closest to meeting all requirements as both leagues met eight out of the nine requirements. The audit states that GLCC did not pay dues to USACA for all of its member clubs while MCC failed to implement, or was unwilling to start to implement, a formal women’s development program.

Twelve leagues were able to fully satisfy seven of the nine categories. Out of those 12, six leagues received fail ratings in categories eight and nine on the survey: “has implemented, or is willing to start to implement, a formal youth development program” and “has implemented, or is willing to start to implement, a formal women’s development program.”

Overall, only eight of the 47 leagues were able to fully comply with both categories eight and nine regarding the implementation of youth and women’s development programs. A whopping 35 of the 47 leagues, 74%, failed to completely satisfy both categories.

In category five, “has identified all of the clubs (of which there are at least eight) in their league, including the names and contact information for club presidents, and each club has at least 15 active members,” 18 out of 47 leagues, 38%, failed to fully satisfy the requirement.

Another crucial category that could determine who gets to vote this year is category number six: “has paid dues for all of its member clubs.” According to the audit, only 14 out of the 47 leagues, 30%, fully satisfied the requirement.

Any league who disputes the results can file an appeal by Friday, February 17. The USACA board will make a determination by Monday, February 20 as to which leagues will be able to vote in regional and national elections.

Click here for to read the full results of the Robert Chance audit

USA Cricket: Fraser claims women's stance was about respect, not money

openingbat — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:47:00 GMT

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By Peter Della Penna

Former USA women’s team head coach Linden Fraser says that the dispute which arose in the original 18-player squad for the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier was borne out of a lack of respect shown to the women.

“The whole thing I’ve been seeing that the women has been holding USACA to ransom, that this thing is all about the money, that’s a total fabrication of the truth,” said Fraser in a recent interview. “Yes, the money is a part of it, but the money is not the main issue. The main issue these women have with the board, or I should say Dainty who happens to be President who is making all the decisions, they feel they’re not being treated properly by the board. They felt that they were being treated like second class citizens and I can agree with them on that.”

Fraser denies rumors circulating that he instructed women to demand that they would not play if Fraser was not the coach. He says that he was cast aside for standing up to the administration on behalf of the women and also for asking to be paid for his coaching position.

“This thing about me being the coach was because I stood up for the women because I felt the women was not being treated properly,” said Fraser. “They were being thrown into the wilderness and nobody cared about them and I stood up for that. I know I would have been taken out as the coach because it happened before. This is not the first time it has happened under Dainty’s leadership.”

“I was told it should be an honor for me to coach the USA team. They told me I should go and coach the US team for free. Hell no. I’ve been doing that since I’ve been in the US, doing stuff without getting paid for it and I realized that they have other people nowhere near as qualified as me coach the national team and are being paid to do that.”

Image (right) - Linden Fraser [Courtesy: Peter Della Penna/DreamCricket.com]

Fraser says that the women initially began to feel let down over the summer when it became apparent that USACA was not going to be able to follow through on having the three training camps that were promised to them prior to traveling to Bangladesh for the qualifier. According to Fraser, there was enough money in a proposed budget for the usage of a $100,000 grant from The Apple Pickers Foundation to allow for three camps. He blames the fact that three camps did not happen on financial mismanagement by USACA and does not entirely believe that the 10-day camp to Barbados cost $63,000 as quoted by former USACA Cricket Committee chairman Krish Prasad.

Of the players who were originally in the squad, the only ones who did not go to Bangladesh were from the Tri-State Lynx team which Fraser coaches. Fraser denies that there was a rift between Lynx and non-Lynx players, but acknowledges that there were problems that developed on the Barbados tour which he did not want to discuss. According to several sources, manager Louise Browne-Jackson wrote a tour report which was highly critical of Fraser for his handling of players both on and off the field. “We’re in the 21st century and things that used to happen back when the manager were playing don’t happen now,” said Fraser.

When asked if he felt the women in the squad should have shown more solidarity in their stance with the stipend, Fraser said it was up to each individual player to do what was best for themselves. A letter was sent to USACA and signed by 15 players asking for stipends equivalent to what men’s players receive. Several of the players who signed that letter wound up being selected, including new captain Doris Francis. “They all said they were sticking together, but I don’t know what happened,” said Fraser.

The former women’s coach also says that the women all pledged to go to Bangladesh during a conference call with Andy Pick several days before the squad was announced. The players also apparently had a conference call with USACA President Gladstone Dainty which Fraser claims to have listened in on during which he says Dainty told the players that the team would be picked by then captain Candacy Atkins and two of the coaches, Mark Johnson and Howard Johnson, who supervised last month’s camp in Florida. Instead, he claims an entirely different squad was announced with all but two Lynx players – Nadia Gruny and Shebani Bhaskar – replaced. Fraser felt the original squad had a realistic chance of qualifying for the 2013 ICC Women’s World Cup, but says that the recent decisions of the administration have “pushed women’s cricket 20 years back.”

“I know all these women that has been selected,” said Fraser. “Bangladesh is not a joke and this team that we have here going to Bangladesh? I’m sorry it’s embarrassing, very very embarrassing. I’m not gonna take away anything from none of the women but it’s a big big embarrassment. There were seven players in the original team that are not there and those are seven of the best players.”

“As the ICC said, there’s no country in the Americas who can come up with a second XI team and that is exactly what’s happening here. With all due respect to them, they are all promising but not the level that is expected to play in a qualifier. They are promising, but they’re not at that level.”

USA’s first match at the 2011 ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier is against South Africa on Tuesday. South Africa beat Sri Lanka by six runs on the opening day of matches in Dhaka on Monday.

Ram Varadarajan announces candidacy. Offers 'bold new plan' for leadership.

openingbat — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:48:00 GMT

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Comments

In an exclusive interview with DreamCricket.com, California businessman Ram Varadarajan announces his plan to run for president of USACA. The first half of the interview is below. Part two will be published on Thursday.

DreamCricket: Thanks for agreeing to speak to DreamCricket.com and for announcing your candidacy on our website. It has been an eventful three years for you personally. On the professional front, the company you founded in 1997, Arcot Systems, was sold to CA Technologies. Reportedly in an all cash transaction valued at $200 million. How do you feel about that?

RV: It is always good to have the fruits of one’s labor be rewarded. I am happy for myself and all the stakeholders - employees, partners, investors and customers. My team at Arcot and I had spent a decade building this business from the proverbial Silicon Valley startup on a napkin into one of the most respected security and anti-fraud solutions company in the world. Building a successful company is all about leadership, team building, fund raising, gaining confidence in your stock holders and meeting the expectations of your customers. Equally important are qualities such as – highest level of ethical conduct, transparency and communication. I am glad I could, with my team, achieve all of these.

Arcot has a great future, the business continues to do very well and my team is continuing our mission with renewed vigor. While I am still actively engaged with the business at Arcot, I no longer have the pressures that an entrepreneur CEO has. I have the freedom and bandwidth to pursue my interest in US cricket more vigorously. And I truly believe that the lessons and successes of my decade at Arcot can all be put to work once again to make USACA a world class sports institution.

DreamCricket: The perception within USACA circles is that you have stayed away from cricket since you lost the election to Gladstone Dainty. In fact, some think you completely disappeared from the scene until now. What do you tell critics who think you have reemerged around election time?

RV: As I said after the 2008 election, there is a time for politics, but when the political season ends, we need to work together and put cricket first. Because, as you know, cricket in USA has plenty of politics, what it really needs is development.

Gladstone Dainty and the newly elected team got their chance to provide leadership. Had I won that election, I would have expected the same opportunity.

DreamCricket: But since you were not front and center over the last three years, maybe that has led to the perception that you have left the cricketing scene.

RV: Nothing could be farther from the truth. I have not stayed away from cricket and will always serve cricket.

Since the last elections, I have remained active at various levels. I have continued my involvement at the grass roots level in NWR. Nationally, I have supported various cricket initiatives – especially youth activities. I advised sports marketing entities to bring professional cricket to the US. I advised USACA officials on fund raising – even arranging senior level meetings with a key potential sponsor.

I held the first of its kind national forum on youth cricket to stitch together the various youth activities – several good things came out of it including a national repository for cricket statistics – a key finding of that forum. This national statistical repository, which DreamCricket.com is hosting, is financed by my foundation. Additionally several institutions got valuable advice on incorporating as 501(c)3 organizations – increasing their ability to raise funds.

I could go on and on, but I guess the point is that I have been, and will continue to be involved in making USA cricket one of the most successful and vibrant cricket organizations in the world. I know it is a very long haul, but I am certain we will get there. So as I said, I have been in the thick of cricket. Probably, the right thing to say would be that I stayed away from the media and have certainly not been heavily involved politically since the last elections.

DreamCricket: Tell us more about your foundation. Why did you start the New Inning Foundation? What are its activities?

RV: There are plenty of small, individual, laudatory initiatives across America to help grow cricket. But there were none that dreamt big and followed up with execution. My vision is that the success and growth of cricket in USA lies in putting significant money, time, effort, and focus on youth cricket. New Inning Foundation has been created with that single objective in mind. There was certainly a need for a philanthropic foundation devoted to promoting, nourishing and celebrating youth cricket in America. New Inning Foundation achieves this by working symbiotically with community organizations whilst leveraging our financial and administrative resources. The funding is provided by me and a few private donors.

The New Inning Foundation has begun in earnest. Its initial focus is on highlighting and recognizing talent at the youth level. Towards that end we set up the national score repository for youth cricket statistics – it now contains scorecards for youth games at regional and national levels. Over time, this repository has been expanded to all inter-regional and ICC cricket. Now that all the scores are recorded, it also enhances transparency when it comes to selection.

Image (right) - Ram Varadarajan

The other thing it enables us to do as a community is to recognize and celebrate talent. The New Inning Foundation was also among the presenters of the USA Cricket Awards last year. In 2010, 10 cricketers were selected for their achievement including such assessments as performing under pressure and commitment. Awards comprised of a plaque and a cash reward.

New Inning Foundation has established scholarships for free indoor net-practice for deserving junior cricketers. The foundation has also supported the expansion of the USYCA and facilitated equipment donations to schools across USA, funded printing of instructional booklets and promotional material by USYCA for students and teachers.

Also, New Inning Foundation has campaigned very hard and been successful in influencing tournament organizations in US cities to take on youth players – by supporting tournament level awards that recognize youth achievement.

We have also supported college assistance programs for youth players.

I see New Inning Foundation becoming a significant contributor to youth cricket development across America, touching the lives of many aspiring cricketers in this country. It is a first of its kind institution in the US and perhaps worldwide.

DreamCricket: That is very impressive and the USA cricket community appreciates your support of the awards. Coming back to the election in 2008, are you still in touch with the three gentlemen who were on your slate who won that election - John Thickett, John Aaron and Manaf Mohamed. Do you think they delivered on the promises that were made last time around as part of the New Inning mandate?

RV: I am indeed in touch with them as I am with several key actors in US cricket – both in person and electronically. I brainstorm with them on several cricket topics including ways to get USACA on a sound financial footing. These are good friends that I can lean on for ideas. In fact, the successes (albeit few) of the last 3 years have been led or championed by these gentlemen – formation of Cricket Holdings America LLC, being one poignant example.

DreamCricket: How do you rate USACA’s performance over the last three years under the leadership of Mr. Gladstone Dainty?

RV: I contested the last election; I am contesting this one. The reasons are largely the same. I feel that USACA management has lacked structure, organizational leadership and transparency. Over the last three years, we have not really seen a common vision as a result of which problems big and small remain unsolved. A consequence of all of this is that there is factionalism, confusion and despair among the cricket lovers, players, volunteers and elected officials. US cricket could have been taken to greater heights and our youth given the opportunities they deserved. My campaign is therefore about addressing all of these. I am confident that I can remedy this.

In the midst of all this, we must not forget that a few bright spots did appear. Women’s cricket got a start. The Pearls Cup was a good one-off event. I like the revival of the KA Auty Cup. The establishment of Cricket Holdings America LLC was clearly a singular major achievement and I am proud to say that members on my 2008 slate were instrumental is bringing this about along with the President and the board. This did bring much needed funds allowing for many of the cricket tours that the U-19, men and women have made. But increased activity also leads to increased expectations - governance & execution need to keep up with that.

I want to look forward – I know that the situation can be improved significantly. It starts with the top - leadership bringing the cricket community together – that will establish the right priorities, formulate the right structure, team and governance, and energize the participants to take things to the next level.

In my view, the leadership should serve the leagues and has to explain the benefit of the decisions to the membership. More efficient communications are naturally very important, which means the President and the board must seek and take input, be open to criticism. USACA must bring value to the leagues beyond just the right to play for the region or for the US team.

DreamCricket: How did you get involved with CHA, LLC? What is your role as a board member?

RV: As I mentioned earlier, I advised entities that wanted to bring professional cricket to US. I was, therefore, educated in the challenges and opportunities that the LLC presented. Here I was, sitting in the Silicon Valley, home to some of the greatest success stories in corporate America. My own story at Arcot Systems is akin to other Silicon Valley success stories. And I told myself that I must deploy that spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship to cricket administration. Cricket Holdings America LLC presented me with that opportunity. And I accepted. Since being part of Cricket Holdings America LLC, I have executed my duties with the same passion, commitment and leadership that I had for Arcot.

DreamCricket: What is your answer to critics that think that you have been 'silenced' by Mr. Dainty by hanging a CHA board position as a carrot? We have seen a lot of criticism lately centered on how the USACA board was not consulted in making board appointments.

RV: I contested “Dainty the President” in the last elections. I have nothing against “Dainty the person”. I talked to him then, and I talk to him now. I have never been afraid to be critical about the quality of his administration or about decisions made by the administration. So let that be on record. The fact that Dainty invited me to be part of CHA goes to show that I am issue-based and not personality-based.

Now, about the USACA board, the workings of the USACA board are outside my knowledge and influence. There could be several reasons for discord on the USACA board over such appointments including mine – speculating over them is not fruitful.

From my standpoint, I was invited by USACA to take a board seat on Cricket Holdings America LLC. I gave it thought and I accepted because I felt that I was fully qualified to join the board and I was confident that I could add value to the board. The USACA board approved.

I am positive that many of the board members that had misgivings about the process that USACA adopted actually have no issues with my candidature or selection - I am very confident of that. Let me also make it very clear – my services are pro bono – there is absolutely no compensation for my time and effort and I expect none.

DreamCricket: Did you not file your nomination to run for the Regional Representative of the North West Region? Why did you withdraw, preferring instead to join the board of CHA, LLC?

RV: I believe USACA had an objective to expand the number of individuals involved in USACA activities. I was told they did not want one person holding two posts. I could continue to help the NWR region in many ways without having the Regional Representative post – and there were several outstanding individuals interested in the position.

The CHA board position was an entire new way to serve US cricket interests; I felt I was uniquely qualified and I am privileged to serve. I will serve US cricket at every opportunity that I have.

DreamCricket: Coming to the process or deficiency of processes at USACA, what would you have done differently? Do you feel that the USACA governance would have been more transparent had you been at the helm? With respect to the commercial deals and with respect to consensus building that has been lacking.

RV: Instead of indulging in hypotheses, let me tell you what I will do differently to immediately improve transparency and confidence. I have a bold new plan for governance and leadership. I will delineate, decentralize, and bring about transparency. Let me explain:

On “delineation”: First, I will separate executive management of USACA from cricket administration. The latter should be left to experts who should work without interference from the executive. The process of appointment of coaches, selectors, selection criteria, etc., these are administrative duties and these processes will be transparent and published.
Second, I will personally take up the job of mending our fences with the ICC and seek their active financial and governance help in putting USACA back on track. Third, I will introduce term limits: Presidents – max of two terms. Term limits are important for smart governance.

Coming to decentralization, USACA has become a large organization and it needs organizational acumen befitting its size. I will delegate more to the VPs and other board members. Everyone in my team will have a well-established portfolio of duties and responsibilities. I will let them perform their duties without interference but with a clear expectation of accountability and ethics. I will also move decision making and funds to the leagues and regions, as a rule. Decentralization also would mean that the administration would have to become more predictable – cricket calendars, board meetings and the like should be on a schedule. Once again, not rocket science; that is how successful companies operate.

Finally, I will bring about transparency. In my administration, all board meetings will have an open and closed session. Most of the cricket business can be discussed in open sessions. The open session will be open to all the league presidents. After all, the board is working on their behalf. This in itself will make the working of the board more civilized and productive –the league presidents can see for themselves what is going on. In the closed session, we will discuss any confidential aspects and personnel matters. The structure, conduct and governance of this board will be no different than how it is done in all successful companies globally. Also, in an effort to improve transparency, I will have town hall meetings every quarter so that the broader cricket community can come together, ask, criticize and learn.

This is a short list but this is how I think change can be ushered in. As President, my role will be to set the right tone at the top. Everything else follows from there.

______________________

Part 2

DreamCricket: Let us talk about the brief and stuttering engagement with the international community.

RV: Having international exposure is critically important for advancing US cricket. That is one reason why our relationship with the ICC needs to be rock solid.

There are two types of international exposure – one where we get professional teams to play in the US – once again, The Pearls Cup is an example of this. Under the LLC agreement, such activity will be organized and managed by the Cricket Holdings America LLC.

The Pearls Cup was a watershed event. It validated that USA could be a destination for cricket and that we could conduct such an event. The event, ground and the financial results from the event clearly need to be improved – however, it provided a critical learning.

The second is where our cricket players play with teams from other nations. The bilateral matches against Jamaica, Canada are all very good for our players. We cannot improve as a team by just playing ICC tournaments.

I also applaud the resumption of the K.A. Auty Cup for another reason. It is a long overdue celebration of a truly historic series. I think USA vs. Canada tradition, with some good marketing, can recapture some of the past glory.

DreamCricket: Do we need a CEO? What are your thoughts on Don Lockerbie's departure?

RV: Absolutely, the role of the CEO is critical for any organization and USACA is no exception. If elected, one of my top priorities will be to fill that post with a competent, committed and respected individual.

I worked well with Mr. Lockerbie. Very soon after his appointment, I met with him and offered my assistance. We discussed various options and strategies – including ways of raising funds for USACA. I am not privy to the exact circumstances leading to his departure.

DreamCricket: What makes you want to contest again? How different is this election from the last one in 2008?

RV: I ran last time because I did not see any other candidate stepping in to lead or bringing change to US cricket. There was a leadership vacuum. There were plenty of folks critical of the then president’s performance – but nobody was willing to make the effort to challenge the status quo. So I stepped in to serve US cricket. I think it was a watershed event.

The campaign that I ran was exemplary. I was a virtual unknown and I invested time to meet league presidents and the cricket community, understanding issues and putting together a slate of candidates from across the country and more importantly I spelt out a platform – that platform is still visible at www.newinning.com

This time, the situation is more acute and the stakes are higher. However, this time the electorate is more informed. The change that is required is more than just running tournaments and complaining. It is more fundamental. It is about restoring cricket to its glorious track in the US. It is about having the leadership, vision and the executive skills to manage a set of diverse interests. I am confident that I can deliver on all those grounds.

DreamCricket: Last time around, you lost by three votes. In fact, one vote in your favor was knocked out due to a technical disqualification. Much has been written about a handful of bogus leagues in 2008, especially in Central East region. Do you agree that things would have turned out differently if bogus leagues were not allowed to vote? What needs to change with respect to the voting process?

RV: The way I see it, I lost by three votes in spite of my message being spot on. There were structural reasons for the loss. First, as you pointed out, there were several fake leagues and they were obviously not voting for me. Second, some legitimate leagues were disqualified from voting on technicalities – if they were allowed to vote, they would have likely supported me. Third, I am a skeptic when it comes to proxy voting. This is pure evil.

What most readers don’t realize is that in the USACA elections proxy voting is allowed. That means a league president can sign over his ballot to another influential official, say a regional director. There is inherently a fear of reprisal. The regional director may retaliate against a league within the region if the league does not vote for the candidate supported by the regional director. This practice must stop. All voting must be by secret ballot. USACA must set aside funds for the league presidents to travel and vote in person. Or they must authenticate the vote through other means. Technology has evolved to facilitate that.

Of late, there is a drive to review the legitimacy of the leagues. I welcome this compliance drive. Had it been in place three years ago, I am confident that I would be the incumbent President.

DreamCricket: What is the way forward in the current situation? People want an election but it is an open secret that there are bogus leagues.

RV: We need a strict, fair and expeditious way to root out the egregious violators. People are skeptical of the current compliance process for a variety of reasons and some of the critics view it as a political tool to silence opponents. The skepticism also stems from timing - it is an election year. I can understand why people are frustrated. But as I have said, we must give this compliance process a chance.

If your question is should we have not initiated a compliance examination sooner, absolutely, I would say yes. USACA should have encouraged a compliance mindset all along, and the membership process should have been well thought through from the beginning.

But once again, we have no option but to look at the future and the changes we want to bring in. If elected, one of the top priorities of my administration will be to make sure that membership is handled in an even handed, transparent, consultative and fair manner.

DreamCricket: USACA published a revised election timeline after the board meeting this past weekend. Do you think the election will be held according to this new schedule?

RV: I am certain it will. The electorate wants an election this year. Remember, the league presidents are the boss – the constitution is the law - not the president or board.

DreamCricket: Of late, there has been a lot of unpleasantness. Elections voided; massive distrust on the board; the Secretary has been suspended. Central East’s regional representative is awaiting recognition despite being voted to this role by a majority of the Central East’s leagues. Atlantic Region’s fate hangs in balance. How will you deal with such a thing if it happens under your watch?

RV: Leadership is about bringing people together towards a common mission. Factions arise when there is no transparency or communication about goals and the process to achieve them. It is simple, but has to be practiced diligently. I will run an administration where the objectives are that it be transparent, accepting of criticism, and predictable.

DreamCricket: But what do you think of the leadership and their methods such as suspension and locking out opponents. How do you feel about that?

RV: Clearly organizational cohesiveness has eluded USACA, so the methods of old have not worked. The beliefs that have worked for me are being transparent, inclusive, fair, and process driven. It worked for me for 30 years of my professional life, and an even longer personal life. I don’t see those beliefs failing me when I am the President of USACA.

DreamCricket: On the field, in the last three years, starting off at Division 5, USA went to 2011 Division 3 but was relegated to 2012 Division 4. In the U-19 WCQ held in Ireland, USA finished seventh among the associates failing to qualify. What is your assessment?

RV: This is clearly a cause for worry. I have spoken personally to US coaches. The good news is that I have been assured that we have the requisite raw skill set in the US. What is not present is the supporting infrastructure to amplify it, polish it and turn it into a winning machine.

Let me explain – USACA has done nothing to improve playing conditions – there is no increase in turf wickets, the number of qualified coaches and umpires have not increased in any meaningful way. Even when assistance from the ICC is available – these are being frittered away in mismanagement. We have to increase the pool of qualified players and have a well understood selection process so that players understand that skills and performance will be rewarded. Umpiring too should be consistent and standards are urgently needed.

I also believe that we need to redouble our efforts to attract a greater cross section of US society to cricket. I have been encouraging this by supporting Jamie Harrison’s efforts at USYCA - with schools across the country – for which I have been bestowed the “Patron of Youth Cricket” honor. Similarly, we need to redouble our efforts to attract girls to cricket and continue to nurture our nascent efforts with women players.

We also need to encourage and equip US teams to play the 20/20 format without taking away from other formats. This format will become an important avenue for professional cricket in the US and our players need every opportunity to make a mark and be noticed in this format.

DreamCricket: What needs to be done for the players? How will you change things at the age-group level and senior level?

RV: USA has shown that once it focuses on a sport, it can improve its rankings on merit. The best place to start this is at age-group level where disparity among talent is not so huge that it cannot be bridged through channeling resources. I will make such resources available both at national and league levels. By delineating executive management from cricket professionals – there will be a clear separation of duties. The cricket experts and the players themselves will guide us on the coaching, facilities, stipends, match practice and other needs of players. I will, along with the rest of the executive management, generate the funding to fulfill these needs.

In my view, there is nothing to prevent the US U-19 team from placing in the top four by 2020. That means we need to start in 2012 at the U11 level. Once we aim for that, the success in the adult tournaments will follow naturally.

Being on the board of the CHA LLC, I also see another advantage that we can bring to bear – we can provide a professional career path for US cricket players.

DreamCricket: There were some positive steps like bringing in Dipak Patel to coach the U-19 squad for the 2010 U-19 World Cup in New Zealand, Robin Singh was brought in to coach the U-19 team in Ireland, etc. Of course, a lot of money was borrowed or drawn down from CHA to accomplish some of these things.

RV: Both of these gentlemen are fine individuals and I have great respect for them. Every team out there has good coaches. The world of cricket is very competitive and there is no substitute for hard work and a goal-oriented approach.

We cannot have a haphazard process of selection and then throw the team together at the last minute. It is unfair on the players and the coaches. It is a miracle that we did as well as we did in some of the tournaments. Yes, with a little luck we would have qualified for the U-19 World Cup. But we need to give luck an opportunity to swing our way by assiduous preparation.

DreamCricket: You know Nabeel Ahmed, Kenvyn Williams, and Maq Qureshi have already announced their candidacy. Looks like there are others too waiting to declare their candidacy, what do you think is important for the voters as they figure out who to vote for?

RV: I am glad that there are contestants – that shows that the electorate cares. I am counting on the fact that the electorate is better informed. We are living in times where the world is rising up and demanding good governance and leadership. The time is now for the old ways to fall and new leadership and governance to take root. My resume and track record clearly set me apart from the other candidates – I will take my message to the league presidents – they know what is important and I am sure they will make a wise choice.

DreamCricket: What is your financial vision?

RV: Putting USACA on a firm financial footing will be one of my highest priorities as president. A financially stable USACA can then support a number of programs. I firmly believe that empowerment at the local level is essential for USACA. It is consistent with my philosophy to decentralize to the leagues and regions wherever possible.

USACA has two fundamental duties. First, it has to provide the framework, structure and governance for growing the sport, and fund the regions and leagues to execute at the local level. Second, it has to provide a forum for teams to play competitive cricket within the US and outside – with other nations and clubs.

I will put in place the following financial model to support this in an efficient way. USACA must set up funds for national tournaments and the duties that it has direct responsibility for. USACA must set the goal posts, provide the framework; appoint national level custodians for coaching, umpiring and the like; and spell out the standards that it expects leagues and regions to maintain. Then, USACA should get out of the way. USACA should become a medium for channeling funds to the regions and leagues to achieve the objectives. For example, USACA can specify that leagues start youth programs and women’s programs; meet the set standards for umpiring, coaching, facilities and the like – and provide funds to achieve these. Refresh grants would depend on the progress that the leagues make.

We have to get to a state where USACA is making meaningful contributions to the regions and leagues so that they can advance. My administration will accomplish all these - we will raise funds, set goals, incentives, and reward the right behavior.

DreamCricket: What is your organizational vision?

RV: Once elected, the USACA organization should understand that its job is to serve the cricket leagues in the US and not be the master. I will ensure that there is separation of administrative function from cricket management function. This is the delineation that I spoke about earlier. Among other appointments, there will be a national coach to orchestrate a national blueprint and support local activity. The president is the chief administrator not the chief selector. None of this is news for people who have been involved in professional, winning organizations. My goal would be to bring the same tried and tested models of success to cricket in the US.

As mentioned earlier, I will appoint a CEO at the earliest possible. Also, every officer on the board will have a portfolio and the ability and responsibility to execute competently and ethically. The task on hand is very large and requires more specialized skills than the board will possess. This is where volunteers can come in. We are blessed to be in a country where there is phenomenal skill and a spirit of volunteerism. I will broaden the management team by bringing on a 20 person national team of volunteer-leaders for special tasks like event organization, PR, NCAA relations, local government liaison, sponsorship generation, high school outreach, etc. We can also amplify our youth and women's cricket development with specialized help.

I will increase professionalism in cricket operations by appointing a paid national coach and converting most of the cricketing positions to be paid ones. We have for far too long counted on volunteers to go above and beyond. Volunteerism is of course very welcome; however, it cannot be a substitute for professional attention. We need a scalable option that will bring in the skill levels that we need to improve the quality of our game. So in my administration, all officials – coaches, managers, and umpires – will be compensated for their time and effort.

DreamCricket: Where do you see USACA in three years under your leadership?

RV: I see USACA as a harmonious, well-functioning organization. It will have an excellent relationship with the ICC – be a model. It will function predictably. It will be decentralized – we need to push the benefits and much of the decision making down to the leagues. The leagues are the building blocks of cricket in the US. I expect the number of leagues to have increased. USACA will have plenty of funds to carry out its normal cricketing activities – the majority of funds reaching the regions and leagues. USACA will also be working in close cooperation with the Cricket Holdings America LLC thereby giving a path for our cricket players to play professionally. I expect we would have improved cricketing conditions -- built turf wickets, have a fully functioning coaching and umpiring infrastructure and so on. I would also predict that all our cricketing teams will fare better – men, women and youth.

DreamCricket: Maq Qureshi has been spending a lot of his own money in promoting cricket - thereby filling a vast gap at the grassroots level. He has also run a successful tournament in Florida. Nabeel’s generosity over the years has also been written about on DreamCricket.com and elsewhere. You too have been donating through your organization but with longer-term goals. And all of you are running in an election. You are putting leagues in a tough situation, especially since the leagues have benefited from the generosity of all of you.

RV: Any one working to expand the cricket action is doing the game a service. It is all very welcome. There are many others who are also writing large checks but are not getting nor seeking recognition. But this election is about vision, leadership, integrity and governance. It is not about “cricket philanthropy” it is about “cricket leadership”.

DreamCricket: Your claim to fame is your network, integrity, executive management, and corporate track record. But in this economy, do you think you can raise the kind of money and build the kind of support that USACA needs?

RV: Absolutely yes. There is always business going on in every economy. A good idea and a good team will always be successful. It is all about the value that we bring. There is plenty of money available for cricket – spent by American sponsors on foreign soil. We need to sell the value of being associated with an upcoming US sport – I know how to sell concepts and value. I have raised over $100 million doing exactly that – in some instances on the basis of an idea on a PowerPoint slide. Even in the worst economic climate there is a dearth of good ideas and always a shortage of capable, committed and proven talent.

Not to forget, another source of funding for USACA is through Cricket Holdings America LLC. I will ensure that we do our part to enable success of the LLC. That will guarantee us a significant stream of revenue every year. I already serve on the LLC board – so it will be easier to work to common benefit.

DreamCricket: Nabeel Ahmed has been talking of changing the way USACA is run. How do you feel about his decision to resign and his candidacy for the election?

RV: I respect Nabeel as a gentleman and a sincere patron of cricket. But here is someone who has played two innings as VP and USACA has not improved much. If you have a seat at the table, you must do your very best to change the ways of the organization.

Escaping is not leadership – the ability to stand up and steer the organization to a righteous path is what is wanted today. I welcome Nabeel as a well wisher and patron of cricket – but not at the helm of this organization.

DreamCricket: Aren’t you late to the election? I mean, others have announced months ago and the leagues may have committed themselves to them.

RV: I saw no advantage in making a press announcement when the election itself was not announced. My own campaign is ongoing and it is progressing very well. I have already begun conversations with the league presidents. I am glad to report that they are very engaged – tough but fair. Most importantly, I am very pleased and energized with the response and support that I am getting.

I will run a professional campaign, just like I did last time around. My election website is www.USAcricketVision.com and I encourage everyone to visit. My contact information is posted there as well.

DreamCricket: Thanks for your time.

RV: You are very welcome. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak to the US cricket community.

USA Cricket: USACA Interim VP Syed wants more attention given to youth and women's recruitment

openingbat — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:50:00 GMT

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By Peter Della Penna

Rafey Syed, the newly appointed interim second vice president of USACA, wants changes made to the USACA Constitution to penalize leagues by stripping them of their USACA membership if they do not have at least one woman on each league’s administrative body.

“How many women are there participating in US cricket right now? If you look around it’s a male dominated game right now,” said Syed in a recent interview. “A very small percentage of women are playing cricket. I don’t know if it’s about the cultures or if people are not into it.”

“I want every league in the United States for it to be a constitutional requirement that if you don’t have a women’s cricket coordinator or some sort of role for a woman in the league then they should not be granted full membership. There are two things. First of all, we promote cricket. There should not be any gender bias. Second one is, if you have a woman, she is the one who raises the children and she knows how much time her kids would allocate for games. Obviously, in America all the kids go and play different games. If we promote women to be a part of the league administration, they will call other women. They will be the first encouraging point so that the women could come and play and she could pull her kids whether it’s a boy or girl to play cricket. It’s very important.”

When asked how receptive league presidents would be to approving of such a measure, Syed said it would not happen overnight, but hopes that pressure would be applied to enact change.

“This may take time but it will come,” said Syed. “If a push comes from the board itself saying that we need to have something in the constitution and if the board passes a law saying that every league has to abide by this otherwise they can’t be a full member, then I don’t think it should be a problem. The league presidents will have to agree with it.”

Syed also wants to have leagues make a more concerted effort to recruit players from outside traditional communities to become involved in the game, especially at the youth level.

“Right now how the youth cricket is based, it’s all the people who are coming from the Indian subcontinent and the Caribbean,” said Syed. “They are the people who are playing cricket. If you look at the ratio, how many people who were born here in the US are part of the cricket community? A lot of people say we don’t have facilities for coaching. If you go to any league, they will have tournaments organized and if you look at any particular team, all the mature players came from overseas and they are playing here. If you look at the ratio of 100, 99 people are from overseas and maybe there’s a one percent chance that somebody US born is playing cricket.”

“We need to have coaching. Wherever you go in the country, they don’t have free coaching. Sometimes they set up some camps but that’s not enough. You have to have mandatory free coaching by every league to get full membership. That should be a requirement to become a full member of USACA.”

Syed had been involved as Secretary in the Central East Region administration for four years before taking up his role on the USACA board. He also represented the Central East as a player several years ago in a USACA Western Conference tournament. However, he hopes to make a bigger impact at the national level over the next several months and potentially over the next three years should he be reelected to the USACA board at the general elections later in 2011.

“The USACA board has to come up with more solid foundational work. We have been playing cricket for many years and we don’t have a solid foundation. We don’t have youth or the general American people playing cricket. We don’t have women playing cricket. We don’t have enough grounds. There are a lot of things that need to be discussed and go over all the time.”

Erica Rendler completes rapid ascent into USA women's squad

openingbat — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:00:00 GMT

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By Peter Della Penna

For someone who has scaled the tallest mountain peak in the lower 48 states, reaching great heights in the world of cricket may not seem all that difficult in comparison. After starting from scratch just over a year ago, that is exactly what Erica Rendler has done.

Pic (Right): Erica Rendler keeps her eye on the ball during a USA women's squad training session at Gateway Park in Brooklyn, NY.[Courtesy Peter Della Penna]

The 29-year-old from San Jose, Calif., has gone from knowing nothing about the game in 2009 to being selected for the USA women’s national team in 2010.

“I was stunned,” said Ben Roxborough, the Australian fiancé of Erica’s older sister Kate, when asked how he reacted after he found out Rendler had made the team. “I was just very happy for her, but you know what, I wasn’t surprised though because I just knew that she’s got a sporting gift, particularly with ball and bat sports whether it’s softball or field hockey. I thought those skills would graft very well across, but the way that she’s been able to pick up the bowling is just extraordinary.”

Indeed, there are several things that are extraordinary about Rendler and how she has taken to cricket. The only American-born player in USA’s squad that will take on Canada this week, Rendler first encountered cricket when the family took a trip in February of last year to visit Roxborough in Australia. Kate, Erica, her younger brother Doug and Roxborough were coming out of the Melbourne Zoo when they saw a local cricket match being played across the street. Erica took notice and became quite curious. It was clear to Roxborough that she wasn’t just being polite, but was genuinely interested with all the questions she was peppering him with about this sport.

“It was probably about 100 degrees and we were out in an open field, not under the shade,” said Roxborough. “I mean we could walk under the shade but she wanted to be as close to the boundary line as possible. So what we did was we stood directly behind the bowler’s arm and this is where she became particularly interested with the swing and movement that you can achieve from bowling, be it through the air or off the pitch.”

Upon returning to America, Rendler’s interest was sustained after she found an ad online looking for players to join a local women’s team.

“I was really curious to try it out and locally in the Bay Area I saw an ad on Craigslist for the Western Firebirds women’s cricket accepting all skill levels,” said Rendler. After contacting USACA Western Region board member Raj Padhi, who was organizing the practices, she came the next day and the rest is history.

“It was really nice,” said Rendler. “I just found everyone to be really friendly and the basic skills I already had from other sports in terms of fielding and throwing. So I think just batting and bowling were the two techniques where I needed to adjust things that I’ve done in the past.”

Prior to cricket, Rendler seems to have taken a stab at just about everything under the sun. She grew up playing soccer, swimming, basketball, track & field, softball and field hockey. According to her brother Doug, she is also quite skilled at alternative sports such as snowboarding and cycling and has climbed the 14,505 feet high Mount Whitney in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. Rendler has also been a DJ on “The Delirium Show” for Santa Clara University’s student radio station, KSCU. While Doug gladly talked up his sister’s wide-ranging endeavors, Erica comes off as too humble to even bring them up, let alone boast about them.

“You look at her on the field and you feel just almost that wow factor,” said Doug. “Field hockey she tried out for the first time and immediately saw success with that and a great athlete on the basketball court. There’s few things she doesn’t do well in terms of sports.”

Rendler attended San Jose’s Archibishop Mitty High School, which was ranked by Sports Illustrated as the #5 high school athletics program in the country in 2006-07 and #3 in 2008-09, ahead of many other well known California multi-sport powerhouses such as Mater Dei and Long Beach Poly. The school’s alumni include 2004 & 2008 Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist Kerri Walsh and 1999 Women’s Soccer World Cup hero Brandi Chastain. Rendler played varsity softball and field hockey at Archbishop Mitty before going on to play two years of field hockey at UC-Berkeley, where she double majored in political science and communications.

Despite playing cricket for just over a year, Rendler’s athleticism has helped her get up to speed. At a training session in New York before the team left for Canada, Rendler appears tall and well-built while fielding between point and cover, ready to pounce on anything coming her way. When it came time for her to practice her batting out in the middle, she demonstrated a straight bat technique that was adequate but with more experience and coaching could become much better. Meanwhile she looked quite comfortable bashing anything short through the leg side. For someone who has played cricket for just over a year, her seam bowling action was impressive.

“I just think athletically I’m definitely one of the top of the group coordination-wise,” said Rendler with a tone of quiet confidence. “I don’t think there’s anything I can’t do so it’s just a matter of time before I can get better at something. I mean I feel very lucky to have made this team but I knew out of [Western Firebirds] that definitely I might be in the top group to possibly be selected, just from our team at least.”

Rendler went into this year’s USACA National Women’s Tournament in nearby Cupertino, Calif., with a strong determination to prove herself in front of selectors. Despite her limited experience, she believed a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent her country could come as a result of her hard work.

“I knew there was a window of opportunity, just for a chance to even be selected to play nationally, that was a goal of mine,” said Rendler. “I thought it was kind of out of reach but that was certainly on my mind, at least play up to that level and be able to face players of that caliber and pretty much not make a complete fool of myself.”

The newcomer did enough to impress the selectors and now she’ll be missing a week of work from her job as a case analyst at a law firm. Her colleagues are behind her, even if they don’t necessarily know too much about the game she is playing.

“They love it. They announced it at one of our firm-wide meetings,” said Rendler regarding her firm spreading the word about making the national team. “When I left my work, they were all going ‘U-S-A!’ as I walked out the door.”

“I think getting selected to the national team and representing your country right after the World Cup where I saw the United States battle and fight so hard to win the games they did and overcome adversity and seeing how soccer is beginning to take more of a bigger stage across the media and viewers, having her make the US team I think meant a lot to her,” said Doug.

At the moment, Rendler is the only American-born player in either the men’s or the women’s USA cricket squads. However, she feels that the game is perfectly capable of catching on outside of expat communities if opportunities are presented to people at a relatively young age.

“I think the more people that start playing, others will follow, in terms of American-born baseball fans,” said Rendler. “I always hear that Americans don’t have the attention span for a cricket game or it’s too smart of a game but there’s so many athletes now I see at the high school level and the junior high level, they can just pick up any sport and it’s gonna just kind of be this peer pressure thing. If a couple people start doing it, I think other people will follow.

“The thing I notice with cricket, once you learn how to play and understand it, then you’re really interested in every part of the game. But if you don’t know what’s going on, then certainly it’s more boring and easier to tune out.”

Rendler enjoys watching Sachin Tendulkar bat, but is looking to soak up as much knowledge as she can from her own teammates who have played at the international level for other countries.

“It’s been great so far and just raising the level of talent here, it’s gonna push my game as well. It feels really good to be playing with such a talented group,” said Rendler. “Playing with Indomatie [Goordial-John] for sure and watching everything she does. She’s a perfect player and very athletic, a great coach and our captain Durga [Das] as well is very good helping give me pointers. So I think I’m focusing on the two of them kind of as mentors.”

Hopefully, her teammates will learn just as much from Rendler during the next week as she will from them. She is proof that Americans are capable of reaching great heights in cricket.

1895 Cricket match between Mrs. Hazen's School and Rosemary Hall - A Historic First For Interscholastic Girls Sports

openingbat — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:11:00 GMT

By Venu Palaparthi

In 1895, the girls from Rosemary Hall, a girls preparatory school founded by Mrs. Caroline Ruutz-Rees of England defeated girls from Mrs. Hazen's School for Girls (popularly known as Pelham Hall) in a cricket match played at Wallingford, Connecticut.

There is no official record of this first ever match but New York Times referred to the victory of Rosemary Hall in the 1895 girls cricket match when the Rosemary girls visited Pelham Hall a year later.

This contest where the winner took home a "light blue banner," became an annual tradition, and is the oldest known interscholastic sporting event for girls in USA for any sport.

Indeed, girls played sports before 1895, but these were intramurals. A basketball match was played between girls of Montclair High and Horace Mann of New York City in 1897. But the Pelham Hall versus Rosemary Hall cricket match preceded both this basketball match and the Girls Interscholastic Athletic League, which was formed in 1900.

In fact, a photo is said to exist in the Pelham Library in a book titled The Pelham Manor Story 1891 - 1991 written by James B. Saunders, who wrote "Young ladies of Mrs. Hazen's School (Pelham Hall) dropped their bat and ball long enough to pose for the photographer before engaging the girls of Rosemary Hall in a serious contest of cricket." Mr. Saunders also wrote, "Results of the game are lost in history."

Mr. Saunders need not have despaired. Thanks to New York Times, there is a more detailed record of the Pelham Hall versus Rosemary Hall inter-school match for 1896, which DreamCricket.com has tracked down.

In a story filed on November 14, 1896, Times noted: The Esplanade lawn at "Prospect Hill was the scene here today of a winter contest of a most unusual kind." The writer was quite taken by the novelty of it all and went on to describe the occasion vividly. "Bareheaded and wearing sweaters and short skirts, daughters of some of the most prominent men in the country defied the cold, wintry wind. With enthusiasm and skill the twenty-two bowled, batted, and fielded. A large crowd, chiefly composed of Pelham's most fashionable folk, witnessed the game. Excitement ran high, for last year the Pelham Hall girls journeyed to Wallingford and were defeated by the Rosemary cricketers. Today the losers on that occasion struggled successfully to win back the light-blue banner they lost in Connecticut."

"The weather, the waving of ribbons and banners, and the college cries would have done justice to a Yale-Harvard football match," the reporter wrote. Rosemary Hall won the toss and put Pelham to bat. With 15 in the first innings and 21 in the second innings, Annie King, captain of Pelham, was the highest scorer on the day. Miss King, the daughter of John King Jr, the Vice President of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, also took 7 wickets with the ball. Pelham Hall scored 81 in the first innings and 51 in the second. Rosemary Hall was dismissed for just 26 in the first innings and were defeated by a 69 run margin after they collapsed for 37 in the second innings.

Shouts of "Hurrah, hear us call; Hazen, Hazen, Pelham Hall," were heard around the ground and the blue ribbon was won back by the girls of Pelham Manor.

The contest between the girls of Pelham Hall and Rosemary Hall continued for several years. In 1898, Rosemary Hall hired a women's cricket coach - her name was Mrs. Hulseberg and she was perhaps the first women's cricket coach in USA.

The Pelham Hall, founded by Mrs. Emily John Cunningham Hazen, closed in 1915. Rosemary Hall continues to this day as Choate-Rosemary Hall after its merger with Choate. One way to celebrate their historical achievement by restarting the tradition there.

Rosemary Hall

Pic Courtesy: Choate Rosemary Hall

Mrs. Hazen's School (Pelham Hall)

Picture Courtesy: Blake Bell

ICC Americas Women's Cricket Championship starts today

openingbat — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:57:00 GMT

The ICC Americas women's championship will be played in Florida starting May 18. Five teams - Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Bermuda, and USA will play in the tournament. The first four teams took part in the 2008 championship, which was won by Canada. In addition to the new entrant USA, this year will also see a development squad from Trinidad & Tobago take part in the tournament.

The teams will play Twenty20s on Days 1 and 2 and 40-over games following that. The top two teams in the 40-over competition will progress to the next stage - a three-day series to be played in 2010.

Although women's cricket in USA dates back to at least 1896, USA has seen very little organized women's cricket during the last two decades. Recently, Seattle has led the way and, following the Seattle women's example, several new women's programs have been launched including two in California last month. Programs were initiated in New York/NJ area earlier in the year.

In order to kick-start women's cricket and to enable selection of a team for ICC Americas Championship, USACA organized its inaugural women's cricket championship in March 2009 which was won by the East Coast.

Although Canada is the most experienced side in the tournament, USA cannot be taken lightly - several on the USA team have experience with first class or international cricket.

Ivy Mahabir starts women's league in New Jersey

openingbat — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:45:00 GMT

By Peter Simunovich Ivy Mahabir is always in the thick of things. Even in women's cricket, which is virtually non existent in New Jersey, she is in the middle of it trying to recruit players and setting up a league in the Garden State. It was only a few weeks ago that Ivy, 45, who is originally from Trinidad & Tobago, set off on a mission to try to get women to play cricket. It was almost mission impossible, but not for her. Ivy put the word out and she received just eight responses - not even enough for one team, but she kept at it. The number grew to eight, then 15 and now she has 25 contacts - 23 from the West Indies and two from India - enough for two teams. She still wants more and the word will go out again. The plan is to get about 50 and form a three team women's cricket league, the first in New Jersey, to play 20-20 matches in Essex County. "I'm still trying to get the word out," she said. A cricket lifer, Ivy began playing cricket from age five and now she wants the game to grow in the United States. The immediate plan is to pick a team from New Jersey and New York to take part in the US National Women's Tournament in late March in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It will be a two team tournament with players representing the Eastern and Western conferences. Then the US women's cricket team will be selected to play in the eight nations ICC Women America's Cup in May in Florida. Ivy said: "I am seeing growth in women's cricket. I think that when it gets warmer and we start practicing and playing outside more will see women playing and, hopefully, join and we get up to 50 women playing. "So far the women we have are aged between 16 and 45 and we want all women who want to play." Ivy has already organized coaching sessions to be conducted by former West Indies Test player Neil McGarell and Basil Butcher and Leon Copeland. She has already arranged some sponsorship, raised some money and donations of uniforms and equipment. The first team, by the way, will be the Garden State Smashers and the second team's name has been suggested as the New Jersey Warriors. After a shaky start it is now on solid ground thanks to the multi tasking of Ivy. It is an old saying that says if you want a job done give it to a busy person. Ivy fits into that category. Right now her schedule looks like this: Studying for a Master's degree in International Business and wants a second masters in Management, works part time as a Certified Patient Access Representative with a New Jersey hospital, is the women's cricket coordinator for eight states in the Atlantic region, the first and only woman cricket umpire in New Jersey, writes a cricket column for her local newspaper in Essex County, does PR for the Garden State Cricket League, and when she has spare time she runs her own online travel agency - bookwithivy.com. She is also a mother of 21-year-old cricketer Reyaz Karim and in February she celebrated her first year of marriage with her second husband, Ramesh Ramnarine, who also plays cricket with the Combined Island cricket team in New Jersey. Ivy has her hands full and she is coping with it all. The end game is a thriving women's cricket league in New Jersey.