USACA To Invest In Women’s Cricket Initiatives Across The Country

By Orville Hall
Women’s National cricket is a relatively new phenomenon in the USA, but its roots are spreading rapidly across the country. Interest in the sport continues to rise due primarily to the influx of women who have played the game at the highest levels both in the Caribbean and beyond, and are currently residing in the USA.

Recognizing the afore-mentioned interest in the sport, USACA is making a concerted effort to provide greater visibility for women’s cricket, as they recognize the enormous talent that is being displayed in the various formats of the game. Going forward, women’s cricket will take a prominent role in the continued efforts to highlight all aspects of the game. A Women’s Cricket Coordinator can be found in each of USACA’s regions, and on any given weekend, these women are honing their skills, under the watchful eyes of some of our talented coaches, as they compete against each other.

Going forward, USACA is committed to building on these platforms, with a keen eye on transforming this talent into a cohesive body of players who would be ready and capable to represent the USA at all levels. Over the coming months, the CEO, Mr. Darren Beazley, will be meeting and speaking with women cricketers and others across the country in an effort to get a clearer understanding of what additional resources are needed to propel women’s cricket further into the spotlight. Subsequent to these meetings, the CEO will create an organizational chart with the goal of accomplishing such a task. It would mean a pooling of resources, both financial and human, as qualified individuals are identified, who can help move the entire process unto the “front burner” of cricket in the USA.

A few items of worthy mention with respect to our women cricketers. Even though having limited resources at their disposal in the past, the USA defeated a strong Canada team in 2010 to get into the World Cup Qualifier in Bangladesh. They then went on to compete effectively in the National Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Bangladesh in 2011, and more recently, in 2012, they gave a sterling performance during the ICC Americas Women’s tournament in the Cayman Islands, where they were undefeated and finished second only to Canada by virtue of Net Run Rate, when the final game between the two teams was rained out. The USA is currently putting plans in place to get the women’s team game-ready for the upcoming 2014 ICC Americas tournament.  So from USACA’s perspective, the future for women’s cricket in the USA is bright, but it will require the efforts of all and sundry to “get on board” and work at all levels to bring it to fruition.