The International Cricket Council (ICC) today outlined the process for the incorporation of a new governing body for cricket in the USA and confirmed all cricket activities should continue during the transition period following the expulsion of the USA Cricket Association from ICC membership.
The Sustainable Foundation Advisory Group comprising representatives from across the cricketing family in the USA, will work alongside the ICC Americas team incorporating a USA project team to oversee the sport whilst a new entity is created and a Board appointed.
A new membership data base incorporating the whole cricket community in the USA will now be developed which will provide the basis of the electorate that will vote for the new Board in early 2018. Individuals, clubs and leagues will be represented in the membership ensuring it is reflective of the whole sport in the USA.
A transparent election process will be developed concurrently and the voting will be overseen by an independent body. A Nominating and Governance Committee will also be appointed to help identify suitable Independent directors with a view to the new Board being established to run USA Cricket no later than April 2018. The new Governing Body will then need to be recognized by the ICC at next year’s Full Council meeting.
A USA roadshow will be conducted to give the whole cricket community in the USA the opportunity to hear more about the plans about the future of the sport and to engage in the process.
The ICC Board has exercised its discretion to allow all USA cricket teams to remain in their current positions in the various ICC event structures so players are not penalized and the sport can continue to grow and not have its development set back by a number of years.
An independent commercial agent will be appointed to carry out a review of the opportunities in the USA to enable the new Governing Body to be in the best possible position to accelerate growth and development of the game when it comes into being.
ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “We do not take the expulsion of any member lightly, but we have been through a robust two year process to reach this point with the full support of all of our members.
“Our focus now is on getting a new governing body incorporated and up and running as soon as we can. I am grateful to the Sustainable Foundation Advisory Group for their continued support and commitment to the unification of the cricket community in the USA. They will now provide guidance in the transition period. All USA cricket teams will continue to play and will be focused on qualification for both the men’s and women’s World T20 and the Under 19 Cricket World Cup.”