March 2011 - Posts

• USA Cricket announces election timeline. National elections in October.

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket [USACA Media Release - March 30, 2011] The USA Cricket Association through one of its Directors Mr. Shelton Glasgow has announced a timeline for its 2011 Regional and national elections. The Association has extended the deadline for the payment of 2010 USACA membership dues. This extension is granted to allow delinquent leagues an opportunity to become financially compliant. According to Mr. Glasgow, USACA membership dues for 2011 must be received by the deadline in order for leagues to maintain financial compliance and participate in the upcoming regional and national elections. All regions are required to adhere to this timeline. · 1. April 4th through April 19th - North West and South West Regional elections. 2. May 31st - Deadline for payment of 2010 USACA membership dues and an assessed late fee penalties of $200 per league. 3. May 31st - Deadline for payment of 2011 USACA dues. 4. June 18th - USACA publishes a list of financial leagues. . 5. June 23rd - USACA publishes the election process. 6. July 1st through August 20th - Regional Elections. 7. October 15th - USACA National Elections. NOTE: All Regional elections shall be conducted between June 19th and August 20th 2011, except the NW & SW Regions.   The National Election shall be conducted within forty five (45) days after the conclusion of Regional Elections. USA Cricket announced election timeline.  National elections to be held in October. Posted Mar 30 2011, 01:48 PM with no comments Filed under: USA cricket, US Cricket, USA Cricket Assocation

• Pick encourages PSAL coaches to focus on fundamentals

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket By Peter Della Penna ICC Americas Performance Officer Andy Pick concluded a two-part cricket coaching course on March 22 for the New York PSAL at Aviation High School in Queens. About 20-25 teachers turned out for a two and a half hour session. Pick feels that the teachers were quite receptive and hopes that the sessions will pay off for the students and players over the course of the upcoming PSAL season. “I think the guys have done well,” said Pick. “They’ve embraced it well and the proof will be when they take it back to their schools and see whether they can set it all up and keep it going.” The second session was conducted at Aviation’s indoor gymnasium. During the session, Pick discussed the importance of focusing on technique and using measurable evaluation tools to track the progress of players. He also stressed sticking to the basics for some of the coaches who are new to cricket, rather than getting overwhelmed with the many nuances of the game. Image (right) - Andy Pick drops a series of tennis balls for a PSAL coach to practice his drive during a rapid fire batting drill. For efficiency and repitition, Pick demonstrated that a player could hit 20-30 tennis balls in one minute using this method. [Courtesy: Peter Della Penna/DreamCricket.com] “This helped specifically understanding what the basic fundamentals are,” said Joel Troge, coach at Lafayette High School in Bensonhurst. “What he was saying was if you are able to do the basic skills well, you can put the puzzle together and I think that was probably the best advice he had given.” Originally from Wisconsin, Troge teaches American history at Lafayette, where he says there is a sizable student population with Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage. He had no prior knowledge of cricket but volunteered to help out when his students wanted to form a team last year, the third year of the PSAL cricket competition. Even though he admits his players may know more about the game than him, Troge feels that the training he received from Pick during the two sessions will help him improve as a cricket coach because he has a better idea of where he should be focusing his efforts. “Last year, I’m trying to understand what the basic rules were and where everyone needs to be and how you can score, but I think this really helped in terms of actually what makes a good solid fundamental player and ultimately that’s what you want as a coach is you want someone who knows the fundamentals.” Recognizing the challenges posed by not having enough dedicated cricket facilities in the New York area, Pick introduced ways for the coaches to adjust to their surroundings so that the players can still be learning effectively. Image (left) - Pick answered questions and gave tips to the PSAL coaches throughout the session. [Courtesy: Peter Della Penna/DreamCricket.com] “I’ve just tried to show them some different drills and different ways of practicing certain techniques that don’t necessarily need a sports hall or a cricket field,” said Pick. “Hitting the ball off Styrofoam cups, hitting the ball at dustbins or at chain link fences or whatever it might be, you can set up any sort of practice anywhere really with a little bit of imagination. I think some of the times coaches can be a little bit hamstrung by the fact that they think that everything’s got to be great and everything’s got to have all the right equipment and all the right space and everything.” “When you haven’t, the one thing I stressed to them at the end of the day was to be creative. Ultimately, it’s only practice after all and so long as they keep one eye on technique, then how they practice that technique and in what surroundings and in what conditions is fairly irrelevant really.” While there were some coaches present like Troge who are fairly new to cricket, other coaches that previously had a good understanding of the sport also found Pick quite helpful. Aviation High School coach Wesley Henry grew up playing cricket in Guyana, but says that he thinks his practices will become more efficient because of the tips he received. “Something like this with what Andy has taught us, just the drills, the speed drills, the throwing drills, the batting drills, the bowling drills, this is something that every coach, even if you are a coach in who has been in the league for four years or you’re a new coach, you will take something from it,” said Henry. “What I noticed, there were a lot of new coaches that were taking notes, which is good. Some of the stuff Andy instructed today and last week, I used and I’ll keep using.” Image (below) - Pick used the coaches to demonstrate how separating players into different skill stations is a good way to maximize practice time. [Courtesy: Peter Della Penna/DreamCricket.com] For coaches who are new to the sport, Pick also stressed that they should not feel intimidated if a player knows more than them. Instead, the player should become a resourceful asset to enhance the coach’s knowledge base. “There will be occasions when there will be the odd player who may know the game a little bit better than them and I think that’s inevitable,” said Pick. “I would hope that as teachers, their control of group is good enough to take care of that anyway. The key to that will be for them to accept the fact that some people [will know more than the coach] and to bring those people to the front of the group and use them rather than fear being undermined. If there are things going on in their practices or in games that they find difficult to understand or difficult to explain, then make use of the knowledge in the group so that would be my advice to them about that.” Pick’s coaching course was facilitated in part by New York Cricket Region director Selwyn Caesar, NY PSAL Cricket Commissioner Bassett Thompson and NY PSAL Cricket Coordinator Lorna Austin. The fourth NY PSAL high school cricket season begins on Monday, April 11. The league began in 2008 with 14 teams, but there are now 26 teams split into five divisions – one in the Bronx and two divisions each for Queens and Brooklyn. Posted Mar 29 2011, 05:22 PM with 2 comment(s) Filed under: PSAL cricket, Andy Pick

• USA Cricket: List of nominees released for NW and SW regional elections

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket [USACA Release - March 25, 2011] USA Cricket released the list of nominees contesting the elections for the regional administration positions of the North West and South West Regional administrations. The elections are expected to be contested in two parts; first for the seven members of each of the two regional administration, and then for Regional Representative to the USACA board of directors. The positions being contested include Regional Director, Secretary, Treasurer, Women’s Cricket Coordinator, Youth Cricket Coordinator, and two members-at-Large, followed by Regional Representative on the USACA Board. Each league in the respective regions is allowed one vote per candidate. NORTH WEST REGION Region Position....Name of Nominee NWR Regional Director....Hemant Buch NWR Women's Coordinator....Nithya Bayya NWR Women's Coordinator....Ritu Bhargava NWR Youth Coordinator....Vijay Pradhan NWR Secretary....Barinder Ahluwalia NWR Secretary....Rana Abid NWR Secretary....Susheel Kumar NWR Treasurer....Arvind Prasad NWR Treasurer....Chandrasekharan Tirumurti NWR Member-at-Large....Rangaswamy Jagannathan NWR Member-at-Large....Ozair Nana NWR Member-at-Large....Saad Hasan NWR Member-at-Large....Vijay Beniwal . NWR NWR Regional Rep....Rammohan Varadarajan NWR NWR Regional Rep....Fauad Hasan SOUTH WEST REGION Region Position Name of Nominee SWR Regional Director....Kelly Dunagan SWR Regional Director....Syed Nazim Sherazi SWR Treasurer....Anil Cheruvu SWR Treasurer....Chedmond Lee SWR Youth Coordinator....Richard Blackledge SWR Youth Coordinator....Zaiyab Nazi SWR Women's Coordinator....Sandra Ibarra SWR Women's Coordinator....Jiennie Manalo SWR Member-at-Large....David Sentence SWR Member-at-Large....Tiran Mendis SWR Member-at-Large....Andy Bhatti SWR SWR Regional Rep....Madhukar (Mark) Sood SWR SWR Regional Rep....Nina Ahmad Posted Mar 28 2011, 09:53 AM with 9 comment(s) Filed under: USACA, US Cricket, USA Cricket Assocation

• ESPN3 to add 1,000 additional hours of cricket in the US

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket [ESPN Media Release] Two four-year agreements to bring Champions League Twenty20 and major ICC events exclusively across TV, online and mobile Furthering its commitment to cricket, ESPN today announced it has reached two multi-year rights agreements for exclusive live coverage of matches from Champions League Twenty20 and International Cricket Council (ICC) events, including the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, one of the most watched sporting events globally.  The deals, signed with global rights holder ESPN Star Sports, will dedicate more than 1,000 additional hours of exclusive live cricket in the U.S. to ESPN3.com’s programming lineup. “It’s a big day for cricket fans in the U.S., and we’re thrilled to be the network offering this passionate and underserved audience more cricket coverage than ever before,” said Damon Phillips, Vice President, ESPN3.com.  “We’re removing the traditional pay per view barrier and making these world class events available to millions of fans.” Manu Sawhney, Managing Director, ESPN STAR Sports, said, “We are very pleased to enter in this agreement with ESPN.  It continues to be our endeavor to further grow the game of cricket across the globe and we believe that this collaboration will give a big thrust to the development of the game in the U.S.  Fans in the U.S. can look forward to an exciting calendar of top quality cricket including the iconic ICC cricket events and CLT20, the world championship of top T20 teams.” “The ICC is delighted that ESPN has acquired the rights to ICC events for the period 2012 to 2015.  The U.S. is a region of real growth and potential for cricket and for us to have a world-class broadcaster like ESPN as a collaborator in the U.S. is a great boost for our sport.  This deal signals a real sea change in the mainstream exposure of cricket to American viewers.  Hopefully, this will be a catalyst for huge growth for cricket in this critical market.” The deals include exclusive rights across television, online and mobile platforms for Championship League Twenty20 matches from 2012-2015 as well as the following ICC events: Jun-Jul 2012: ICC U19 Cricket World Cup (Australia) Sep-Oct 2012: ICC World Twenty20 (Sri Lanka) Mar 2013: ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup (India) Jun 2013: ICC Champion’s Trophy (England) May 2013: ICC World Cup Qualifier (Scotland) Feb 2014: ICC World Twenty20 (South Asia) Feb-Mar 2014: ICC U19 Cricket world Cup (UAE) TBD 2014: ICC World Cricket League – Division 1 (Location TBD) Feb- Mar 2015: ICC Cricket World Cup (Australia/New Zealand) Champions League Twenty20 features the world’s top national teams, including clubs from the Indian Premier League and others from Australia, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and West Indies.  ESPN International signed a similar deal for rights in the Caribbean, where all 23 cricket matches were presented live in September. Events from the ICC represent some of the most prestigious cricket matches in the world, sanctioned by the international governing body of cricket.  The deal marks the first time the Cricket World Cup will be made available at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or cable TV video subscription from an affiliated service provider. In 2010 alone, ESPN3.com carried a total of 368 hours of cricket that included Bangladesh home matches against top-tier national teams such as India, England and others, USA Cricket between New Zealand vs. Sri Lanka from Lauderhill, FL, the 2010 Asia Cup and the Caribbean Regional Twenty20 Tournament.  With today’s announcement, ESPN3.com is currently slated to carry close to 1,500 total hours of exclusive live cricket programming over the next four years in the U.S. About ESPN3.com ESPN3.com is ESPN’s live sports broadband network, a 24/7 online destination that delivers thousands of live, global sports events annually.  It is currently available in more than 65 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or cable TV video subscription from an affiliated service provider.  It is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks.   Posted Mar 23 2011, 06:35 PM with 8 comment(s) Filed under: USA cricket, US Cricket, ESPN3, ESPN Cricket, ESPN 3 cricket, ESPN 3

• New York Cricket Region to hold regional election on May 1, 2011

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket Source: New York Cricket Region New York Cricket Region will hold its regional election on Sunday, May 1, 2011. The region published a timeline, detailed guidelines for its elections, FAQs and Job Descriptions, all of which are presented below.  The region announced that Patrick Sutherland would serve as the Election Secretary and everyone interested in seeking a position in the NYCR Administration must submit an application and resume outlining their experience and qualifications to the Election Secretary by Saturday, April 16, 2011.  The following is the contact information for the NYCR Election Secretary: Patrick Sutherland, 518 East 42 Street, Brooklyn, NY 11203; patricksv1@aol.com; Fax - 718) 434 - 5540; Cell - 718) 865 - 1888 Timeline   (1) Friday March 18, 2011: (a) Publication of guidelines and a timeline for the regional election of officers, (b) publication of job titles, roles and responsibilities of office holders when elected and (c) notice regarding applications for positions on the regional administration (Potential candidates are required to submit an application with a RESUME outlining any/all cricket related experience for the position, no exceptions).   (2) Saturday April 16, 2011: Deadline for receiving applications and resumes from candidates.   (3) Saturday April 23, 2011: Meeting of League Presidents to review and screen candidates who submitted applications and resumes to the Secretary of the region.   (4) Sunday May 1, 2011: NYCR election of officers – 1.00pm (venue TBD).   On the day scheduled for the election, the New Regional Administration shall interview candidates who applied for the position of Regional Representative before selecting a Regional Representative to represent NYCR as a member of the USACA Board.  The following is a timeline for the NYCR election of officers which is schedule to be held on Sunday May 1, 2011.   Frequently Asked Questions - NYCR Electoral Process   1. WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR NEW YORK CRICKET REGION ELECTION? The following is the timeline for the NYCR election of officers -- scheduled for Sunday May 1, 2011. • Friday March 18, 2011:  a. Election Notice regarding applications for positions on the regional administration  b. Publication of guidelines and a timeline for the regional election of officers c. Publication of job titles, roles and responsibilities of office holders • Saturday April 16, 2011: Deadline for receiving applications and resumes from candidates • Saturday April 23, 2011: Meeting of League Presidents to review and screen candidates who submitted applications and resumes to the Secretary of the region • Sunday May 1, 2011: NYCR election of officers – 1.00pm    2. WHAT  POSITIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE NEW YORK CRICKET REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION? Following are the Positions that are available on the New York Cricket Regional Administration: • Regional Director/Chairman • Member-at-Large as a Youth Cricket Coordinator • Member-at-Large as a Women’s Cricket Coordinator • Member-at-Large as a Marketing & Fundraising Coordinator • Member-at-Large as a Umpiring Program Coordinator • Secretary • Treasurer • Regional Representative to the USACA Board (ex-officio Member)   For specific details for each position refer to the Job Descriptions below.   3. HOW DO I APPLY FOR A POSITION? a) All persons interested in seeking a position in the NYCR Administration must submit a resume with their appropriate experience and qualification to the Election Secretary by Saturday April 16, 2011. b) Please refer to the Regional Elections Guidelines above for further details.   4. WHERE CAN I GET A COPY OF THE GUIDELINES FOR THE NYCR ELECTORAL PROCESS? Copies can be obtained from the NYCR Election Secretary or from the Cricket Websites.   5. WHERE CAN I GET A COPY OF THE USACA CONSTITUTION? You may email the NYCR Election Secretary or go to the USACA's WebSite at www.usaca.org, click on "The Organization" then "The Constitution".   6. WHO SHOULD I CONTACT IF I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE ELECTORAL PROCESS? You may contact the NYCR Guidelines Committee Chairman, Mr. Paul DaSilva, by telephone at 917-202-1880 or by email at pad1995@aol.com  Guidelines 1. Overview Election of officers for New York Cricket Region (NYCR) is due in the electoral year of 2011 in accordance with the USACA constitution. The election process requires members of NYCR to elect persons to fill positions on the regional administration for a 3-year term commencing in FY2011.   At present there are no written and/or formal guidelines or processes available from NYCR or USACA regarding the election of persons to serve as officers of regions. NYCR as a result, would be drafting guidelines and processes for conducting its election within the requirements of the USACA constitution.   A sub-committee from the region was appointed to analyze the USACA constitution and make recommendations regarding guidelines and processes for an election of officers.    The regional administration shall interview and appoint the secretary or an appropriate person(s) to conduct the election as an independent person on behalf of the region.   2. Election Meeting Notice 2.1. The secretary, after consultation with the regional director/chairman, shall provide notice to members of the region – regional administration, members of leagues, clubs and stakeholders etc. - via electronic mail, USACA website and the media to advise that a special meeting of the region would be convened for the purpose of electing officers of the region. 2.2. The secretary shall provide notice regarding the date, time and venue of a special meeting when a date for the meeting is approved by the regional administration.  2.3. The secretary shall also provide written notice of the election to the executive secretary of USA Cricket Association (USACA) and request USACA provide an Independent Observer for the election.   3. Regional Administration Positions 3.1. The secretary shall publish a list of positions on the regional administration for which persons would be invited to submit an application for a specific position accompanied by a resume.  3.2. List of Positions i) Regional Director/Chairman ii) Member-at-Large as a Youth Cricket Coordinator iii) Member-at-Large as a Women’s Cricket Coordinator iv) Member-at-Large as a Marketing & Fundraising Coordinator v) Member-at-Large as a Umpiring Program Coordinator vi) Secretary vii) Treasurer viii) Regional Representative to the USACA Board (ex-officio Member)   4. Eligibility Requirements 4.1. Candidates must meet the eligibility requirements established in the USACA constitution regarding age and residency etc.  4.2. Each candidate nominated for a position on the regional administration shall be eighteen (18) years of age or older and a citizen or legal and permanent resident of USA. 4.3. Candidates are required to be residents of NY State (NYCR) and shall continue to reside in the region during his/her term of office.  4.4. Each application shall include the person’s legal name, contact information and each candidate at the discretion of the regional administration may be required to provide relevant information to an entity selected by NYCR or USACA for the purpose of conducting a back ground check prior to, during or after the election. League Presidents by virtue of their respective office may not be subject to the background check process. 4.5. Each candidate shall indicate in writing that he/she is computer literate and is capable of communicating via a computer and be fairly proficient with the use of MS Word, MS Excel and email. 4.6. The application must be submitted within the date and time specified. Applications submitted beyond the timeline specified will not be considered.   5. Application Process 5.1. The Secretary shall provide notice to members of the regional administration, members of the region (leagues, clubs and persons) and via the media to advise that candidates should submit applications for positions on the regional administration via electronic mail.  5.2. The secretary shall provide a name, mailing address, fax number, email address and telephone number clearly stating the address to which applications accompanied by a resume from each candidate should be submitted. 5.3. Applications from candidates shall be submitted to the secretary of the region in writing clearly stating the position for which the application was intended.  5.4. Applications must be received by the secretary within the time period stipulated in the notice for the election in order to be accepted.  5.5. Applications must have the email address and telephone number of the applicant. 5.6. The secretary after receiving the applications shall notify each candidate within five (5) business days after receipt and to confirm the candidate’s request 5.7. The secretary shall compile and provide a list of all candidates under confidential cover to each league president of the region for evaluation at least ten (5) calendar days prior to the date scheduled for the election.  5.8. League presidents should be advised the applications and relevant information pertaining to the election are confidential and shall not be distributed and/or shared with persons who are not involved in the process.   6. Election Meeting 6.1. The regional director/chairman at a special meeting of the region convened specifically for the purpose of electing officers of the region shall call the meeting to order and announce that the regional administration as currently comprised shall be dissolved for the purpose of the election. 6.2. The regional director/chairman shall then reconvene a meeting of the regional administration comprised only League Presidents (or their designated representatives) with the regional director/chairman as chair of the meeting. 6.3. The regional administration (League Presidents only) by majority vote shall appoint a returning officer, from among themselves, to conduct the election process. 6.4. After the returning officer is seated, the regional director/chairman shall vacate his/her position as chairperson of the meeting. 6.5. The returning officer at his/her discretion may request retention of the secretary to record notes of the election process or the returning officer may appoint an individual to take notes at the meeting. 6.6. The returning officer shall validate the eligibility of members of the regional administration (League Presidents or their designated representatives only) and provide a list of candidates who were nominated for the respective positions. 6.7. The returning officer shall adjudicate on the validity of delegates who may be eligible to vote, proxy votes (if any), manage distribution and tallying of ballots, rule on disputes and challenges and ensure the election process is conducted within these guidelines and in accordance with the USACA constitution when/where applicable.   7. Proxy Voting - Proxy votes may be accepted provided the following guidelines are adhered: 7.1. The proxy vote was received by mail or hand by the secretary in a sealed envelope clearly marked ‘Proxy Vote’ 7.2. The proxy vote was presented to the returning officer in the sealed envelope by the secretary as at 7.3. The proxy vote was opened by the returning officer in the presence of persons attending the meeting after the meeting was called to order 7.4. The proxy vote shall state the date of the special meeting and the name of the person to whom the proxy vote was awarded 7.5. The returning officer shall verbally state and record the number of proxy votes awarded   8. Election of Regional Administration  8.1. By default, League Presidents are standing members of the Regional Administration 8.2. The regional administration, comprising League Presidents,  by majority vote, shall elect candidates who applied for positions on the regional administration.  8.3. Applicants/Candidates must be present at the election meeting. 8.4. Candidates who did not apply may not be considered for election.  8.5. The election shall be conducted for positions which shall be filled on the regional administration as follows:   A. Regional Director/Chairman B. Members at Large (4) i) Member at Large as Youth Cricket Coordinator ii) Member at Large as Women’s Cricket Coordinator iii) Member at Large as Marketing & Fundraising Coordinator iv) Member at Large as Umpiring Program Coordinator C. Secretary (non-voting member) D. Treasurer (non-voting member)   9. Election of a Regional Representative to the USACA Board 9.1. At the first seating/meeting of members and officers of the Regional Administration, the Regional Administration shall select a Regional Representative to sit on the USACA Board. 9.2. The meeting to select the Regional Representative is chaired by the incoming Regional Chairman, who has a casting vote.   The regional administration when seated after the election process is completed shall comprise the following officers:   Regional Director/Chairman League Presidents of the region Youth Cricket Coordinator Women’s Cricket Coordinator Marketing & Fundraising Coordinator Umpiring Program Coordinator Secretary Treasurer Regional Representative to the USACA Board (ex-officio Member)   The secretary of the region, at the conclusion of the election process shall provide notice to the executive secretary of USA Cricket Association (USACA) regarding composition of the regional administration.   Voting on the Regional Board   The regional director/chairman shall only have a casting vote at meetings of the regional administration. League presidents (or their designated representatives) by virtue of their respective office are standing members of the regional administration and shall be eligible to vote at meetings of the regional administration.  Each league president shall be a delegate at special meetings of the region convened for the purpose of electing officers of the region.League Presidents shall be eligible for one vote at all meeting of the region. Each League President is a delegate at USACA meetings and is eligible to vote at USACA meetings.  Members at Large are not eligible to vote to elect officers of the regional administration in the event of resignations, terminations or other reasons. The Secretary and Treasurer respectively are non-voting members and are not eligible to vote at meetings of the regional administration.  The Regional Representative is an ex-officio member of the regional administration and is not eligible to vote at the meetings of the region.  A League President shall not simultaneously serve as Regional Director/Chairman of the region. If/when a League President is elected to serve as a Regional Director/Chairman of the region, that League President will be required to vacate his/her position as League President prior to being seated as the Regional/Director/Chairman of the region. Job Descriptions - Elected Officials of the Regional Administration   1. Regional Director/Chairman • The regional director/chairman is elected by the League Presidents and shall hold office for a period of three consecutive years commencing immediately after the conclusion of the meeting to elect the regional administration.  • The regional director/chairman after the election shall function as chief operating officer of the region with responsibilities for management of cricket programs and general day to day business administration of the region. • The regional director/chairman  shall preside at all official meetings of the region except for committee and sub-committee meetings at which the regional director may attend as an ex-officio member.  • The regional director/chairman shall have only a casting vote in the event of tie at meetings of the regional administration.  • In the event the regional director/chairman is unable to function as chairperson at meetings of the regional administration, league presidents attending the meeting and forming a quorum for a meeting shall convene as an ad-hoc committee and appoint a chairperson to conduct the business of the meeting in accordance with the published agenda. • The temporary chairperson shall maintain his/her voting rights prior to the appointment as chairperson of the meeting and shall also have a casting vote in the event of tie. • The Regional Director shall sign all documents which may require his/her signature, represent the region or designate an alternate representative to attend meetings, functions or other business activities/events on behalf of the Region. • The regional director/chairman must ensure all resolutions, programs, contracts and commitments approved by the regional administration are implemented within established timelines.  • The regional director/chairman in consultation with members of the regional administration shall appoint committees and establish guidelines for the functional operations of committees. • The regional director/chairman shall submit written monthly reports regarding the state of the region to the regional administration and USACA as appropriate.  • The regional director/chairman shall be accountable to the regional administration for the efficient administration of the region.   Knowledge and Skills • Effective oral and written communication skills • Capable of preparing and presenting a cohesive business plan for the region • Capable of accessing the Internet and possess the required computer skills with capabilities in Microsoft Applications and other pertinent programs • Possess a reasonable knowledge of cricket and/or cricket related programs • Capable of supervising voluntary staff and developing and maintaining plans and programs for the efficient functioning of the region’s administrative and operational programs    2. Secretary • The secretary of the region is elected by the league presidents and shall hold office for a period of three (3) consecutive years immediately after conclusion of the meeting to elect the regional administration.  • The secretary is a non-voting member of the regional administration.  • The secretary shall be responsible for management of the secretariat and perform all administrative functions on behalf of the region on a day to day basis or as may be directed by the regional director/chairman for time to time.  • The secretary shall be required to work with the regional director/chairman to ensure correspondence are processed in a timely manner, meetings arranged and notice provided to members of the region and officials and members of the region are kept apprised of all events and programs related to cricket in the region or as appropriate. • The secretary shall be responsible for receiving official correspondence on behalf of the region and shall maintain a correspondence file with the names and addresses of officers of the region, leagues, clubs and USACA or other persons required for the efficient administration of the region. • The secretary shall maintain a certified copy of the constitution and bylaws of the region in addition to other legal documents pertaining to its registration and incorporation etc. • The secretary in consultation with the regional director/chairman shall make necessary arrangements for meetings of the region.  • The secretary shall function in any capacity as may be directed by the regional director/chairman and shall maintain documents and/or records of the region for audit purposes or as may be required from time to time.   Knowledge and Skills • Effective oral and written communication skills • Capable of preparing and presenting written reports • Capable of accessing the Internet and possess the required computer skills with capabilities in Microsoft Applications and other pertinent programs • Capable of recording notes and preparing minutes for meetings   3. Treasurer • The treasurer is elected by the league presidents and shall hold office for a period of three consecutive years commencing immediately after conclusion of the meeting to elect the regional administration.  • The treasurer is a non-voting member of the regional administration.  • The treasurer shall be the chief fiduciary officer of the region and shall have care and custody of, and shall be solely responsible and accountable for funds of the region. • The treasurer shall prepare and maintain a record of all financial transactions conducted on behalf of the region. The treasurer in the name of NYCR shall endorse all financial documents, deposit monies and payments made to the region at a bank or financial institution designated and approved by the region within five days (5) after the monies were received by the treasurer. • The treasurer shall disburse funds of the region only upon approval of a voucher signed or document signed by the regional director/chairman or his/her designee.  • Funds shall not be withdrawn from a bank of financial institution without prior approval from the regional director/chairman. The treasurer shall ensure receipts are issued for all funds deposited for and on half of the region. • The treasurer shall conduct periodic reconciliation of financial records of the region and shall reconcile all bank and financial institution statements each month to ensure there are no discrepancies.  • The treasurer shall prepare a financial report each month in addition to a financial report to coincide with the close of business for each fiscal year. • The treasurer in conjunction with appropriate professional advice shall prepare or cause to be prepared, the required tax returns with the appropriate city, state and federal agencies in accordance with the region’s tax exempt status of NYCR.  • The treasurer shall maintain all financial records and documents for the region for audit purposes and shall function in any capacity as may be directed by the regional director.   Knowledge and Skills • Effective oral and written communication skills • Capable of preparing and presenting financial report for the region • Capable of analyzing reconciling bank statements • Capable of accessing the Internet and possess the required computer skills with capabilities in Microsoft Applications and other pertinent programs 4. Members-at-Large League presidents, in the region, are required to elect four (4) members-at-large to serve as members of the regional administration for a three year term.  a. A Youth Cricket Coordinator b. A Women’s Cricket Coordinator c. A Marketing & Fundraising Coordinator d. An Umpiring Program Coordinator   The members-at-large are voting members of the regional administration.    The specific roles and responsibilities of each member are as follows:   4.1. Youth Cricket Coordinator The youth cricket coordinator shall be responsible for establishing cricket programs designed to recruit, train and develop players in the U23 age group.    The program should include processes to provide cricket coaching, personal development and prepare players for local, regional and national youth cricket tournaments.   The Youth Cricket Coordinator should be available to manage the youth cricket program in the region and coordinate events and activities on an ongoing basis.   Roles and Responsibilities • Establish and coordinate the development of a youth cricket program in NYCR for multiple age groups • Coordinate delivery of local, regional and international cricket tournaments in the various categories of players in the U23 age group • Establish and maintain a data base with biological data of all players in the U23 age group which are/were registered to and participated in youth cricket programs in the region • Ensure consistent delivery of high quality youth development programs in NYCR • Work in conjunction with the Administration, Coaches, other stakeholders, persons and/or organizations interested in the promotion and development of youth cricket in NYCR and USA • Prepare and annual budget for the youth development program in addition to expense projections for training and youth tournaments • Coordinate and organize cricket matches and tournaments with teams, clubs and other regions in an effort to provide the training and experience required to develop and prepare players and viable team(s) in NYCR  • Attend meetings of the Regional Administration and provide information regarding progress of ongoing processes and programs related to the region’s youth cricket development program • Attend meetings in/out of NYCR related to youth cricket as may be required from time to time • Prepare written reports for review by the Regional Director/Chairman and members of the Regional Administration on a need to know basis • Perform any/all other duties ancillary to the promotion and development of youth cricket in NYCR   Knowledge and Skills • Effective oral and written communication skills. Capable of preparing and presenting a cohesive youth development plan for the region • Capable of accessing the Internet and possess the required computer skills with capabilities in Microsoft Applications and other pertinent programs • Capable of developing and maintaining practice and tournament programs and schedules required for the ongoing management of the youth development program   4.2. Women’s Cricket Coordinator The Administration shall appoint a Women’s Cricket Coordinator who shall be responsible for designing a program required to recruit and train women players.    The program should include processes to provide cricket coaching and prepare players for local, regional and national women’s cricket tournaments.   Roles and Responsibilities • Establish and coordinate a program for the recruitment and training of women to participate in cricket in NYCR Provide help and advice to the Administration regarding funding, functional operations, organizing and other aspects of women’s cricket and its development • Establish and coordinate the formation of women’s cricket team s and/or leagues and coordinate and manage the development of a women’s cricket programs in NYCR • Coordinate the delivery of local, regional and international cricket tournaments for women • Establish and maintain a data base with biological data of all women players who were recruited and/or participated in cricket tournaments for and on behalf of NYCR • Coordinate and organize cricket matches and tournaments with teams, clubs and other regions in an effort to provide the training and experience required to develop players and prepare a viable team(s) in NYCR  • Ensure consistent delivery of high quality women’s cricket development program in NYCR Establish a program for Coaches to provide technical assistance and training required to improve the knowledge and quality of cricket among players. • Work in conjunction with NYCR Administration and Coaches in/out of NYCR to establish programs and prepare budgets on an annual basis for programs and tournaments • Attend meetings related to women’s cricket as may be required • Prepare written reports for review by the Regional Director/Chairman and members of the Regional Administration on a need to know basis • Perform any/all other duties ancillary to the promotion of women’s cricket in NYCR   Knowledge and Skills • Possess effective oral and written communication skills •  Capable of preparing and presenting a cohesive women’s cricket development plan for the region • Capable of accessing the Internet and possess the required computer skills with capabilities in Microsoft Applications and other pertinent programs • Capable of developing and maintaining practice and tournament programs and schedules required for the women’s cricket program   4.3. Marketing & Fundraising Coordinator The marketing and fundraising coordinator shall be responsible for promoting the region in a commercial manner and secure funding, sponsorship and other commercial benefits for the region. • Responsible for advertising cricket in the region • Promote the region at commercial and public events • Advertise events and tournaments on behalf of the region in the media and on websites • Promote and advertise the region’s brand • Establish programs to market clothing and other paraphernalia with the region’s log • Organize and promote fundraising events on behalf of the regions   Knowledge and Skills • Possess effective oral and written communication skills • Capable of preparing and presenting a cohesive marketing plan • Capable of accessing the Internet and possess the required computer skills with capabilities in Microsoft Applications and other pertinent programs • Available for travel within the region to meet and communicate with persons and business entities as appropriate   4.4. Umpiring Program Coordinator The umpiring program coordinator shall be responsible for managing umpiring related programs for and on behalf of NYCR   Knowledge and Skills • Effective oral and written communication skills • Capable of accessing the Internet and possess the required computer skills with capabilities in Microsoft Applications and other pertinent programs     5. Regional Representative The New York Cricket Regional administration, consisting of league presidents and the members-at-large, shall elect a regional representative to represent the region as a member of the USACA board of directors.    The regional representative shall hold office for a period of three consecutive years commencing immediately after the conclusion of the FIRST meeting of the regional administration to elect the regional representative.    The regional representative shall represent the interest of the region and shall function in accordance with directives issued by the region.   The regional representative shall function as an ex-officio member of the region and shall not be eligible to vote at meetings of the region.   Knowledge and Skills • Effective oral and written communication skills • Capable of preparing and analyzing reports • Capable of communicating with members of the USACA board and cricket officials at the local regional and international levels • Possess a level of cricket acumen which would ensure the region is represented in an effective manner • Capable of accessing the Internet and possess the required computer skills with capabilities in Microsoft Applications and other pertinent programs    Posted Mar 22 2011, 06:56 PM with 1 comment(s) Filed under: New york cricket, New York cricket election, New York Cricket Region

• 2011 American College Cricket Championship - Match Reports and Results

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket By Greg Uzelac & Tim Shirrifs (ACC) The 2011 American College Cricket Spring Break Championship was kicked off in a dazzling opening ceremony on March 15, 2011, at the Central Broward stadium.  Thirty teams from American and Canadian Universites gathered for cricket's version of March Madness to compete for the Chanderpaul Trophy. American College Cricket President Lloyd Jodah introduced the teams and acknowledged the role of Facebook and Shiv Chanderpaul in the rapid growth of the organization. Also in attendance were Nino DiLoreto, CEO of ACC; Salman Ahmed,CEO of Big League USA; Trinidad and Tobago Consul General Dr Anil Ramnanan; Dan West, the Director of Broward County Parks and David Sentance, the author of "Cricket in America 1710-2001." Here are brief reports for the matches that followed: Montgomery College vs New Jersey Institute of Technology When Montgomery College won the toss and chose to bat, things didn’t look so good optimistic when Ritin bowled Danish Asghav in the first over with a beautiful ball that pegged back his leg stump. However the tempo rose and runs started flowing more freely with Montgomery bringing up their 50 in the 8th over. NJIT took regular wickets until Montgomery’s All-Star, Adil Bhatti hammered the opposition reaching the first 50 of the tournament in the 19th over with a cracking six. NJIT attempted to start off with a bang to beat their opponents’ score, but their run chase just never took off. Due particularly to Montgomery’s exceptional fielding, wickets fell at a hastening rate and eventually NJIT were bowled out for 101. Rutgers University vs. Cleveland State In a shortened match, Rutgers set Cleveland State a total of 50 to win for the loss of only one wicket. Cleveland State sadly couldn’t reply with enough as they were reduced to 43/8. Udit Patel was the best of the fearsome bowling attack, taking 2 for 4. Texas A&M vs. Rutgers University With the first match of Day 2 there was excitement to be had. Texas A&M lost the wicket of Ravishankar early on but rebuilt after that. Hamza Mohammed top scored with 44 with Rutgers’ Mital patel being the pick of their bowlers with bowling figures of 2 for 16. In their chase of Texas A&M’s total of 134, Rutgers was unfortunate enough to face the heavy artillery in their opponents' bowling line-up. The entire middle order was dismissed for naught as there were a total of five ducks in the innings. Nisarg Chokshi stuck in from the start and made 45 until he was bowled by Ockert Greyvenstein. Rutgers innings closed at 71 all out. College of Wooster vs. George Mason University George Mason started their 2011 campaign with a victory that showed their intentions in this tournament. With College of Wooster batting first, the GM boys got right to taking them apart with vicious bowling and sharp fielding. Wooster was bowled out for 42 with Shahrukh Mazhar taking 5 for 3: the competition’s first 5-for. George Mason replied promptly reaching the needed runs in under three overs for the loss of only one wicket. University of Southern California vs. University of Iowa Thanks to a tidy spell from Dushant Sharma (4/20), USC set themselves a score of 101 to win against U of I who were also playing their first match of the competition. Though some of their batsmen looked in good form, USC faced tough opposition particularly towards the end of the match. A near collapse of their batting in the 13th and 14th overs gave the Trojans a scare, but they reached victory with the final score being 103 for the loss of 7 wickets. University of Pennsylvania vs. University of Minnesota The historic UPenn cricket team put in a superb effort to win vs the University of Minnesota team, with Rahul Borouthu smashing 70 runs in 44 balls, including 5 fours and 3 sixes. Dhruv Touhniwal scored 51 off 44 balls with 5 fours and UMN made 158 for 8 off 20 overs. UMN’s Shatanu Chavan then took it upon himself to lead the chase for 159 by scoring a superb 90, which included 11 fours and 4 sixes, narrowly missing the first century of the Championship. Still, Chavan’s effort was not enough as UMN got 150 for 6 wickets in 20 overs. Boston University vs. University of Iowa With the help of Bhupinder Singh’s whopping 79, the boys from U of I set a massive total of 166 to chase for the Bulldogs. Though the lower middle order showed a glimmer of hope, BU’s batting just didn’t take off. Sathwik Seshadri top scored with a fighting 43 not out. BU ended their innings at 114 for 9. Texas A&M vs. Florida Atlantic University With FAU winning the toss and sending Texas A&M in to field first, their intentions seemed to set a grand score to chase. However, once again the Texans showed their skills with the ball limiting them to 104 all out in 18.4 overs with Ankush Kothalkar doing the damage with 4 wickets. They then proceeded to show their batting as they chased it down in 19 overs for the loss of only 5 wickets. Ockert Greyvenstein top scored for Texas A&M with 44 not out. Montgomery College vs. New York University – Polytechnic After NYU-Poly made 107 for 6 with Vinay Tawale top scoring on 26 not out, it the was Adrian Gordon vs. Adil Bhatti showdown. Such was a sight to see as Gordon steamed in bowling as fast as ever. Bhatti resisted however and scored 21 not out. Together with Deepak Pathak’s 39 not out the Montgomery boys scored 108 to win. Here are summary results from other matches (added March 21): FIU vs. UMBC – FIU (142 all out off 19.5) won by 6 runs. UMBC made 136/8 off 20 overs. BU vs. Texas Tech – Texas Tech (124/3 12.4 overs) won by 3 wickets over BU (120/9 off 20 overs)8.Ohio State U (OSU) vs SCSU (St. Cloud State University)-OSU batting first scored 114 all out. OSU won by one run. USC vs UMN – UMN (43/10 in 14.5 overs Rishabh Nauda 5 for 3 (hat trick) ) were defeated by USC (44/3 in 6 overs) by 7 wickets. U Iowa vs Thunderbird – Thunderbird (112/6 off 20 overs) beat U Iowa (53/10 off 15 overs). Texas Tech vs UPenn – UPenn (105/2 18.4 overs) beat Texas Tech (104/10 in 18.5 overs) by 8 wickets. Montgomery vs Rutgers – Montgomery (139/4 off 16.5) beat Rutgers (136/3 off 20 overs, Nalin Chopra 78*) by 6 wickets. NCSI vs FIU – FIU batted first and scored 92 for 9. NCSU won by 8 wickets. Top score N. Talballikas 64. CSU vs NY Poly – NY Ploy batted first scored 147 for 6. Top score Adrian Gordon 52. CSU all out for 54. NY Poly won by 43 runs. UH vs McGill-UH batted first and scored 125 for 5. McGill all out for 82. UH won by 43 runs. TAM vs NJIT -Tam 171 for 9. Top score Ockert 85. NJIT 116 for 9. Texas A & M won by 55. GWU vs SCSU – GWU batted first 108 for 3. SCSU all out for 104. GWU won by 5 runs. [Update from March 21, 2011] After a tight exciting semi final game vs U of Pennsylvania, the George Mason University cricket team took on their rivals, 2009 national Champions Montgomery College for the Chanderpaul Trophy.  Montgomery defeated Auburn in the other semi-final match. Geroge Mason guys won the toss and batted first. As their captian Hashim Khan later said, “It’s difficult to chase runs on this pitch so we knew if we batted first and put up 150 runs, we would have a great chance of winning.”  The George Mason team did not manage that total but got to 138, a score that the Montgomery batsmen fell short of in their chase reaching only 124 in their chase.  [Pics courtesy of AmericanCollegeCricket.com] Posted Mar 21 2011, 01:36 PM with no comments Filed under: American College Cricket

• ICC Americas Performance Officer Andy Pick to conduct coaching clinic for NY PSAL

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket By Peter Della Penna Cricket is about to begin its fourth season as a varsity sport in the New York City Public Schools Athletic League and due to the growth of the league, more teachers and coaches need training to keep up with student demand. ICC Americas Performance Officer Andy Pick traveled down from Toronto last week to conduct the first of two coaching sessions at Aviation High School in Long Island City, giving valuable insight and skills training to about 25 teachers. “Quite a few of them obviously are pretty new to cricket,” said Pick. “Session one was more of a technical session which sort of revolved very much on things like grips, stance and backswing from a batting point of view, teaching the basic action bowling wise, basic catching, basic throwing, basic keeping.” The first session took place on March 16 and Pick will be returning to New York on Tuesday to conduct the second two-hour session. “I’m just going to give them some drills, games and stuff like that that will help them give them some ideas for actually implementing those skills,” said Pick. According to Pick, all teachers who complete both sessions will receive an “ICC – Introduction to Cricket” course certificate to recognize their participation. Afterward, they'll be able to share their acquired knowledge with students and players. While there are no other courses currently scheduled to take place in the USA, Pick says the door is always open for him to visit other schools who are interested. “Ultimately it’s down to USACA to request these courses,” said Pick. “The way it’s got to work is that the New York Region approach USACA and USACA approach the ICC and that’s why it’s come through and then we make arrangements to come in and do the course. If other regions or other school bodies who are affiliated to USACA get in touch with USACA and put in a request and then USACA request it from us, then we’ll do our best to fulfill that request. We just wait for requests to come in really.” Posted Mar 21 2011, 01:20 PM with 1 comment(s) Filed under: PSAL cricket, Andy Pick

• NJ Junior Cricket League ends winter session. Looks forward to summer!

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket The winter session of the newly formed NJ Junior Cricket League concluded on March 12, 2011.  In the final game of the five match series,  Alfa Wolves defeated Black Ops on the back of Advaith Manur’s 2 for 13 (3 overs) and teammate Ryan Aravind’s 24 n.o.  The Black Ops however clinched the Winner’s Trophy having already won 3 matches going into the final. The last match of the 7-a-side winter tournament was followed by a prize distribution ceremony where the guests of honor were Steve Bowling, Board Member of the Amwell Valley Cricket Club, and Venu Myneni, CEO of Radiant Info.  Radiant Info is title sponsor of the region’s largest T20 tournament and is also a part-sponsor of the USA Cricket awards.  Mr. Bowling, who is a founder of Just 4 You HR Consulting, was a winning cricketer who represented England in Schoolboy cricket. Ryan Aravind was adjudged the Tournament MVP for his tally of 3 for 76 from 18 overs and an unbeaten 86 from five matches.   Black Ops players Pranav Kanukollu (74 runs) and Richard Ramrattan (5 wickets from his 19 overs) were the Best Batsman and Best Bowler of the Tournament respectively.   Raymond Ramrattan and Advaith Manur were declared the Junior MVPs for the tournament. “It was great to see the enthusiasm and the skill of the boys,” Mr. Bowling said, offering his help with promoting cricket in the region.  Mr. Bowling was appreciative of DreamCricket.com’s donation of an English Willow cricket bat for a charity auction being conducted by Amwell Valley CC in support of the Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center. Parents played a huge role in the smooth conduct of the league and the league especially benefited from individual contributions by Easwar Erra and Suresh Aravind (managers), Vimal Rajamanur (umpire), Shankar Kulkarni (scorer) and Earl Daley (coach).  The final was witnessed by roughly 30 spectators at the indoor arena. “The youth on both teams did an excellent job and learned fast about how they have to change their game strategies according to the trend of the game,” Mohan Saikara, who played a key role in organizing the teams, told DreamCricket.com.  Speaking of the recent performances of USA U-19 team and the men’s team, Ms. Bayya, CEO of DreamCricket.com, said that the American-born next generation was the future of cricket in USA and urged local leagues and cricket lovers to focus their efforts on youth cricket.  The league will move outdoors in April and it is anticipated that the Black Ops and Alfa Wolves will be joined by several other teams from New Jersey, Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania.   “The outdoor league would have remained just an idea without the assurances from Staten Island Cricket Club and by Pradeep Vedala, Jaideep Reddy and Bharat Patel from the NJ's leagues,” Ms. Bayya said.   A representative team from NJJCL will also take part in Division 3 of the CLNJ.   This team will comprise eligible junior cricketers, who will be certified based on skill level and physical ability to play alongside senior coach-mentors in this team. Separately, NJJCL is in negotiations for a home ground in Central New Jersey and invites all cricket lovers to help it find a 10 acre parcel of land so that it can begin creating a permanent facility for cricket in New Jersey. Prizes awaiting claimants Black Ops and Alfa Wolves pose together Ryan Aravind receives his Tournament MVP Award from Steve Bowling Advaith Manur receives his Junior MVP award from Steve Bowling as Mohan Saikara watches on Pranav Kanukollu receives the Best Batsman Award from Steve Bowling Raymond Ramrattan receives his Junior MVP Award from Steve Bowling as Venu Myneni of Radiant Info watches on Richard Ramrattan receives his Best Bowler Award from Steve Bowling Venu Myneni of Radiant Info donates a Reebok bat for a charity auction by Amwell Valley CC.  The auction will benefit the Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center.  Kranthi Bayya, CEO of DreamCricket.com looks on. Posted Mar 19 2011, 11:52 AM with no comments Filed under: NJ cricket, NJ Junior Cricket League

• USA Cricket: Joshi & Taylor participate in ICC Americas Academy

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket By Peter Della Penna USA U-19 captain Abhijit Joshi and vice-captain Steven Taylor recently traveled to St. Kitts to take part in the first ICC Americas Academy camp. Both players spent the first 10 days of March participating in a full day of cricket activities to enrich and enhance their skills for the future. “I had a great time there and I learned a lot,” said Joshi. “All the coaches were high performance coaches and all certified Level 3 or Level 4 coaches from the ECB.” The camp was organized and led by ICC Americas Performance Officer Andy Pick. Other coaches that were there included Argentina coach Toby Bailey, Chris Brown and John Abraham from England and Dr. David Scott, a sports psychologist from the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. “We started in the morning at 8 o’clock,” said Joshi. “We had a psychology session in the mornings. After that we’d go to the ground and do a little bit of fitness with fielding. The fielding drills were great. They were very unique. We’d do that until 11. Then we’d have a specialist session. If we were batsman we’d go with the batting coach. If we were spinners we’d go with the spin coach. Then after lunch we would have match scenarios which would last the whole day until 5.” Joshi had positive things to say about all the coaches, but felt that being drilled on match scenarios was particularly helpful to his development over the course of the 10 days. Image (right) : USA U-19 captain Abhijit Joshi. [Courtesy - Peter Della Penna/DreamCricket] “We did so many match scenarios,” said Joshi. “We had middle overs, so getting about 40 runs in eight overs. Then we would only play spinners and have to rotate the strike, batting with tailenders, stuff like that. It was set up like a match scenario so I think that was the most beneficial part of the camp.” “The first day we had a test and the last day we had a test to show us how much we had improved. It was like a skills test for batting. For example, being able to place balls into gaps, the coaches would mark it down on a notepad.” In addition to Joshi and Taylor, two players were selected from Canada, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Argentina, Bahamas and Suriname as well as two players from St. Kitts and Nevis. Some of the notable participants were current Canada U-19 player Manny Aulakh and former Canada U-19 captain Rustam Bhatti, former Argentina U-19 captain Alejo Tissera, and Bermuda national team players Rodney Trott and Malachi Jones. The camp is something Joshi hopes will become an annual experience. “Hopefully they have more,” said Joshi. “Hopefully it’s an annual thing. I just look forward to taking all these tips back to US cricket and hopefully lead my side better and help the team perform well in Ireland.” Posted Mar 17 2011, 01:24 PM with 3 comment(s) Filed under: Abhijit Joshi, USA cricket, Steven Taylor, Rustam Bhatti, Manny Aulakh, Andy Pick

• USACA NW and SW regional elections meandering along

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket --- [Important Update:  Soon after the publication of this article, USACA announced today that the list of nominees for the regional administrations will be released on March 19, 2011.  The release also noted that ballots must be returned by midnight on April 17, 2011 and results will be published on April 19, 2011.  For the positions of regional representatives, the release also set a timeline of April 30, 2011 for returning the ballots and May 2, 2011 for announcement of the results.] --- USACA announced in January of 2011 that, following the split of the West into North West and South West regions, elections had been set for the respective regional administrations and regional representatives. The USACA news release noted that balloting for the South West region was scheduled for February 7, 2011, following which the region was expected to elect its regional representative to the USA Cricket Association’s board on February 19, 2011. In the North West region, balloting was scheduled for February 12, 2011 and the election of the regional representative to the USA Cricket Association’s board was expected to be completed on Friday, February 25, 2011. According to John Aaron, the Secretary of USACA, all nominations are expected to be finalized some time this week after undergoing the necessary background check. The process for determining eligibility of certain leagues needed additional time, explaining the delay in finalizing the nominations. As readers are aware, the West region has gained five new members since national elections were last held in 2008 - four of these leagues are in the South West region and one in the North West region. The voting eligibility of the existing and new leagues was to be reviewed by a compliance committee comprising John Aaron, Lisa Brulport and Shelton Glasgow. According to DreamCricket.com's sources, as part of this process, all leagues were asked to provide certain information such as name of league, names of teams/clubs, contacts for all teams/clubs, league bylaws, schedules, etc. The leagues' responses were audited by members of the committee, and according to Mr. Aaron, each member of the committee had been allocated review responsibilities for certain leagues, and it was based on the findings of the individual committee members that the committee determined the eligibility to vote. On February 21, 2011, after an e-mailed letter by one of the region's leagues was made public on OnDriveUpdate.com, it became clear that the compliance process had encountered turbulence. In his letter, Faiz Ul Hasan, President of California Cricket League alleged that his league was "disqualified because during the last USACA Elections I did not vote for Mr. John Aaron and his group. I voted for Mr Gladstone Dainty and his group." A response from John Aaron dated February 22, 2011 also appeared alongside the original letter on Ondriveupdate.com. In his response, Mr. Aaron wrote that "three leagues failed to meet some of the compliance attributes within the time frame agreed upon by all of the leagues involved, resulting in them being declared ineligible to participate in the upcoming elections of the two regions. Like any democratic process however, there is always an opportunity to appeal a decision of any individual or committee, and that process has not yet been fully exhausted." When reached for comment, Mr. Aaron said, “it was unfortunate that the compliance committee’s findings was portrayed by Mr. Ul Hasan as politically biased, since it was the committee’s decision and not mine.” Mr. Aaron dismissed Mr. Ul Hasan’s claim as being indicative of the typical response to such findings, adding that it underscored the need for constitutional reform and a total review of the eligibility of all the leagues of USACA, which are entitled to vote solely on the basis of being full members. Separately, Mr. Aaron confirmed that he had resigned from his position as the Chairman of the USACA Elections and Compliance Committee. Mr. Aaron declined to comment further regarding the reasons for his resignation stating however that it was not directly related to the rejection of his committee’s findings by USACA’s President Gladstone Dainty. Mr. Aaron reiterated that his committee's recommendations had been submitted to USACA prior to his resignation at a teleconference meeting of the board held last Thursday evening, adding that the three leagues in question were approved to vote in the upcoming elections, without objection from most of the members of the USACA board. Mr. Aaron said that the USACA board did not review the evidence submitted in support of his committee's recommendations on the ineligibility of the three leagues. He however, refused to be drawn into a controversy on the subject of whether the leagues found to be ineligible had the right to vote in the upcoming elections, reiterating that the compliance committee had performed its duties with integrity and transparency. With regional and national elections around the corner, the topic of of vote-eligible leagues is now front-and-center. Taking a long-term view, it is of equal, if not greater importance, to review and to make any amendments to the constitution as may be necessary to ensure that it guarantees fair and proportionate representation. Posted Mar 15 2011, 10:13 AM with 4 comment(s) Filed under: USACA, USA cricket, US Cricket, USA Cricket Assocation, South West Region cricket, North West USA cricket

• Ramesh slams 35 ball century in Florida

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket By Ricardo Inniss Team India's indomitable 24 year-old classy right-handed batsman Sai Sitaram Ramesh slammed an undefeated 111 off Barbados at the Lauderhill Sports Park on Sunday March 6th.  Opening the innings for India in reply to Barbados’ 164 all out, Ramesh took apart the hapless Barbados bowling attack blasting 14 scorching fours and 7 towering sixes to set on fire the Lauderhill sports Park.   Team India reached their target of 165 for the loss of just 1 wicket in only 9.5 overs. Ramesh's scorcher during seventh round of the ongoing Sims Cup competition is the fastest century ever in a leading SFCA cricket competition.   He reached 100 in just 35 balls and despatched 13 fours and 6 sixes as his opponents watched in awe. Ramesh is a former India Under-19 player who also played in the TNCA Division for Sanmar Chemplast and also represented Delhi at Under-16 level and Tamil Nadu at Under-21 level.  Ramesh was also the South Zone Universities Captain in India. In last year’s SFCA Sims Cup, Ramesh was the leading run-getter with an aggregate of 498 runs in six innings, including 3 centuries for an average of 71.14.  His highest score was a scintillating knock of 153 off a strong Jamaica team. In the Central Florida league 2010 season, he was the highest run-getter scoring 635 runs and the highest wicket-taker bagging 26 wickets with his tantalizing off-spin. In the 2010 USACA championship, he took 9 scalps for South East. Jeff Miller, a former USA fast bowler who was on the cricket field representing Barbados said: “It was just about the best innings I’ve ever seen and by far the fastest in South Florida.  This fellow played every shot one could imagine while literally tearing the bowling to pieces, it is an innings that beats all others.” Richard Louis, the Barbados captain, also a former USA medium-fast bowler had this to say: “Having played in Orlando, I’ve seen Ramesh before and know of his batting ability. This 35 ball hundred was a brilliant one, and we all saw in Ramesh that with a change of attitude, (we have) a possible star of the future.” Posted Mar 11 2011, 06:53 PM with no comments Filed under: Florida cricket, Sai Sitaram Ramesh, fastest century club cricket

• Young Steven Taylor one for the future

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket By Ricardo Inniss Comments Born in Miami to Jamaican parents Loveth and Sylvan Taylor, on November 09. 1993, Steven Taylor, a left-handed opening batsman who also keeps wicket competently, was nurtured from an early age on the sidelines of grounds around South Florida by his father Sylvan, and later by his mentor former USA hard-hitting stroke playing left-handed batsman Mark Johnson. Later, Steven became the first 14 year-old to bang a half century in the South Florida Cricket Alliance (SFCA), Keith Graham Memorial Classic (now the SFCA Sims Cup Classic). Steven’s enterprising knock against Pakistan, while representing a SFCA Youth Team, was decorated with 4 fours and 3 sixes off 33 balls and lasted just 41 minutes. Early in 2008, Steven toured St. Kitts, Nevis, Guyana, Grenada, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago representing the USA in the ICC Americas Clico Under-15 International Tournament. Steven toured New Zealand with the 2010 USA Under-19 team, and again the same year, he toured Italy with the senior team.  Later he represented the senior team again, this time against a touring Jamaica team at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in South Florida. Steven, now a prolific scorer in all senior SFCA competitions, recently hit back-to-back double centuries to lead his Florida Cricket Academy to an undefeated record in the Miramar Youth Festival held recently in Miramar, Florida. The young and very talented 17 year-old, took 212 off Big Broward Cricket Academy, before retiring in the first 40 over match of the tournament. The following day, Taylor came back to produce a flawless boundary studded knock of 206 against the Atlanta-based Cricket Academy of USA.  In the final match against the Michigan Cricket Academy he scored 51. Young Steven was recently selected as USA vice-captain for the recently completed ICC Americas Under-19 Tournament played in Florida, during which the USA played undefeated. Taylor is expected to continue in his new role as vice-captain when the 2011 Under-19 tournament gets underway in Ireland later this year.  The stroke playing left-hander, who can be a devastating and ruthless opponent, rich vein of form continues as in the currently on-going SFCA Sims Classic he recently hit a blazing undefeated 87 against India, and in his most recent knock, he took a sparkling 75 off Pakistan. He is the youngest player in the SFCA Premier Division, and idolizes former West Indies captain Brian Lara, Chris Gayle and on the local scene, Mark Johnson. Steven is looking forward one day to representing the West Indies and when that happens, he will be setting his sites on breaking Lara’s test record. Steven is currently attending the Miramar High School, in Miramar, South Florida. Cricket is his first love but he also enjoys American football, basketball and softball.  When relaxing, he likes to listen to reggae and soca music. There’s no doubt about it!  Steven, who has every shot in the book and a few of his own, is a big plus for USA cricket, and definitely one for the future. Posted Mar 06 2011, 04:52 PM with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Steven Taylor

• Teams named for American College Cricket Championship

  Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket Twenty nine US colleges and two Canadian colleges will compete in the 2011 edition of the Chanderpaul Trophy, American College Cricket announced on Friday.  In addition to the 31 contenders, two guest teams - Excelsior High School of Jamaica, and Presentation College of Trinidad & Tobago, will play games that will not count towards the championship. The teams will be split into four conferences with one of the tournament's top four seeds - University of Southern California, Auburn University, Rutgers University and North Carolina State University - playing in each conference. The tournament, which began in 2009 with five teams quickly grew to twenty teams in 2010.   "Many new college clubs are joining American College Cricket. We are assisting in the formation of cricket clubs and developing teams at Universities all across the USA and Canada," Lloyd Jodah, ACC President, told CricInfo last summer.  Those efforts appear to have paid off as evidenced by the number of teams in 2011. The participating teams are - University of Iowa, UPenn, Rutgers, Texas Tech, Ohio State University, University of Central Florida, College of Wooster, York University (2010 champions), Texas A&M, University of Florida, Penn State, UMBC, University of Tampa, University of Minnesota, NJIT, St. Cloud State, North Carolina State, Montgomery College (2009 champions), Auburn, Florida International, McGill, George Mason, University of South Florida, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Boston University, GWU, NYU-Poly, Cleveland State, University of Southern California, University of Houston and Florida Atlantic. The Championship will take place in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, from March 15 to 20, at the Central Broward Cricket Stadium and side fields, and at Brian Piccolo Park.  For live coverage and webcasts, please visit AmericanCollegeCricket.com. Posted Mar 01 2011, 10:13 AM with 7 comment(s) Filed under: USA cricket, US Cricket, American College Cricket, College Cricket, Canadian college cricket