The International Cricket Council (ICC) Head of Global Development Tim Anderson, today announced the USA Senior Men and Under-17 Panel of Selectors. The five-man panel is headed by former West Indies Test and ODI player Ricardo Powell.
Asif Mujtaba, former Pakistan Test and ODI player. Photo by Shiek Mohamed
In a statement released by Anderson earlier today; the panel of selectors is a temporary one, with a life-span until 2017, by which time a recognized national governing body for cricket in the USA will hopefully be in place, and with an approved Constitution and organizational structure that addresses such matters as national team selectors.
The selection of the panel followed an open application process that was announced in late May and closed about two weeks ago.
In the statement released today, Anderson said, “I’m pleased to advise that the standard of applications received was very high, and after consultation with various individuals from within the USA cricket community, the men’s panel can now be announced as follows, Ricardo Powell, Chairman, Amer Afzaluddin. Asif Mujtaba, Barney Jones, and Michael Voss.
The panel includes significant international and domestic cricket experience, and is led by Ricardo Powell who played 109 ODIs and 2 Tests for the West Indies. He is now based in Tennessee. Asif Mujtba (based in Texas) played 25 Tests and 66 ODIs for Pakistan, while Amer Afzaluddin (based in Michigan) represented the USA between 2000 – 2004. Michael Voss played 19 first class matches for Western Province in South Africa and is now based in Los Angeles, while Barney Jones (based in Florida) has significant domestic cricket experience in the USA, having previously been a national selector for 6 years.”
The panel will be coordinated by ICC Americas Cricket Manager, Tom Evans, who has been heavily involved in the recent USA Cricket Combines for senior men, Under-17 and women. The Panel of Selectors will initially select USA representative squads and teams at both U-17 and senior men’s levels.
The statement, noted that a further announcement about the women’s selection panel will be made sometime in July.
Anderson added, “It is important to note, however, that these selection panels and the policies that will guide their work are only temporary, and will be reviewed in 2017 once greater clarity about the national governance of cricket in the USA has been achieved.
These temporary measures form part of the reinstatement conditions that provide ICC with an oversight responsibility for the selection of USA national teams during the period of USACA’s suspension, and are in-line with the ICC Board’s position that despite USACA’s suspension, cricket players within the USA should not suffer and USA national representative teams should not be denied any participation opportunities.”
It is expected that the Selection Panel will name the USA squads to participate in the Under-17 Match Play event scheduled for mid-July against Canada and Bermuda at the Moosa Cricket Stadium in Pearland, Texas, and the senior men’s training camp planned to coincide with the CPL matches next month in Lauderhill, Florida.
