ICC suspends USA cricket project

USA cricket placed under threat

The International Cricket Council has pulled the plug on a plan to spread the game to the United States of America.

The ICC cited poor organisation within the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) in its decision to suspend Project USA.

"The ICC is not satisfied that the USACA is meeting its obligations to review and restructure its governance to meet the needs of Project USA.

"As a consequence (it) is suspended," ICC chief Malcolm Speed said.

"We have witnessed the unseemly and public debate surrounding the USACA elections.

"At this stage we are not able to recommend to the ICC Full Members that they participate in Project USA given the unsatisfactory state of governance in the USA.

"I will now be preparing a report on the status of this project for consideration by the ICC Board at its next meeting in March."

In January, a letter from the ICC to the US Cricket Association was leaked to a website.

"We have never seen a sporting organisation that combines such great potential and such poor administration as USACA," said the letter.

"We question whether the current administration of USACA can play any constructive role in taking the game forward in the United States."

Project USA, a joint venture between the ICC, the USACA and the West Indies Cricket Board, was to have brought full one-day internationals involving leading teams to the country.

The revenue gained was to fund a development looking to improve the standard of the US national team, which was beaten heavily by New Zealand and Australia in September's Champions Trophy.