The International Cricket Council (ICC) has 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 recognised 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 penalised 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."
Chairman of Associates Imran Khawaja was yesterday unanimously elected Deputy Chairman of the ICC Board. The post, which was created following the constitutional change approved at the ICC Full Council on Thursday, will see Khawaja deputise for Chairman Shashank Manohar when he is unable to fulfill his duties.
Commenting on his appointment Khawaja said, "It is a great honour to be elected Deputy Chairman especially whilst wearing the hat of an Associate. I am also privileged to be part of the working group to have authored and reinvented the ICC constitution to make it one of the most inclusive, transparent and merit based sports governing bodies in the world.
"I have no doubts that a new era is dawning on our great game which will see not only a more vibrant membership but also a competition structure that sees cricket played at the highest level."
Plans for a World XI to play in Pakistan later this year continue to be developed as the ICC Board confirmed its support of Pakistan's efforts to bring international cricket back to Pakistan. In light of this the Board agreed to support the staging of a Pakistan v World XI event in Lahore later this year, a three game series of T20 games that will be accorded international status. Further details will be announced in due course.
The Chief Executives' Committee approved all recommendations from the Cricket Committee. This includes the use of DRS in all T20 International games and teams not losing a review when an LBW review comes back as Umpire's Call. The 80 over top-up of reviews in Test cricket has been removed.
Minimum standards for the use of DRS for international cricket was also agreed. This includes the mandatory use of accredited ball tracking and edge detection technology.
The Cricket Committee's proposed adoption of the majority of the recent changes to the laws have been accepted. This includes giving umpires the power to send off players from the field in response to the most serious incidents of player misconduct, such as violence on the field. All Members have agreed to implement this in full. All other offences would continue to be dealt with under the ICC Code of Conduct.
Other major changes to the laws that will be adopted by the ICC are the restriction on bat dimensions (thickness of edges and depth of bat), and that a batsman will have made his or her ground when a bat bounces after being grounded behind the crease by a running or diving batsman. The new ICC playing conditions will come into effect from 1 October.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
