But even if team USA had won the US $500,000 what guarantee is there that it would have been used to promote the game?  If the past is any indication, it is safe to assume that it would not have. Let’s take the case in 1996 when USACA received substantial funding from media mogul, the late Mark Mascarenhas of World Tel. In a report to the ICC, the United States Cricket Federation (USCF) claimed that USACA gambled heavily on a good showing in the ICC trophy in Malaysia in 1996, and spent profligately to impress and win supporters while doing absolutely nothing for grass-roots cricket or promotion of the game. Malaysia turned out to be an expensive failure, wrote Christopher Martin-Jenkins.

Which brings us to the heart of the matter, just how much the game has developed at the grass-roots level in the past year despite a lack of funding. The skill level and the professionalism displayed by both the U19 and the U15 teams were unprecedented.  In recognition of that, USA was afforded the privilege of hosting the first ever ICC Americas U15 competition last summer.  I had the pleasure of  watching the games in the company of one, Ajit Tendulkar,who spoke highly of the young and promising talent in the US, particularly Vikram Valluri, Steven Taylor and Amarnauth Persaud. Taylor went on to debut last month at the U19 World Cup in New Zealand. The remarkable success of the junior program is undoubtedly a direct result of the continuous growth of the school’s cricket program across the country. School cricket debuted in New York in 2008 and the response in the last two years was overwhelming. In California Mike Miller got the ball rolling on school cricket as far back as the 90s.

Who is Mike Miller, you ask. Miller implemented one of, if not the most successful youth/school’s program in the country in California. In the late 90s, Miller was also the treasurer of USACA where he sought to bring some respectability and accountability to USACA’s finances. But the malcontents would have none of it. I was present at the meeting at the La Guardia Marriott when some of them, in a mob-like scene, launched a baseless and inexcusable character assassination on Miller. Always the gentleman, rather than stoop to their level, Miller graciously offered his resignation. It was a massive blow to USA Cricket, but what do the malcontents care. With Miller in charge of the purse strings, the feeling was that there would be no more profligate spending. They wanted him out. He stood in the way of their plans and schemes. You see, that is their signature play, their modus operandi. When they cannot have their way, then they lash out at anyone even at the expense of USA Cricket.

Meanwhile, what has USACA (or for that matter, the NYR) done to promote school cricket here in New York? In 1999, at a USACA meeting in New York, I told the members present that I had started a recreational (voluntary) cricket program at my school in Forest Hills, and was asking USACA to provide us with a few kiddie cricket kits. I was told that there were no monies for that. What are we talking about here…$50, maybe $100?  At the time, I was using the garbage cans in the school’s playground for wicket [at left: students playing in the afterschool cricket program in Forest Hills]. Disheartened, I continued the school’s program with my own funds. Little did I realize that a few years later my program would come to the rescue of USACA at the midnight hour?  Or that after conveniently using the children, USACA would forget about the school or its promises.

This is what happened. In 2000, I was invited to a USACA meeting. Among those in attendance were USACA's 2nd VP, Selwyn Caesar, and NYR director, Kris Persaud. They informed me that USACA was given the opportunity for ICC cricket ambassador, Michael Holding, to visit the NYR to promote youth cricket. But they had to decline the offer because they could not secure a school for Mr. Holding’s visit.  But, remembering that I had an afterschool cricket program at my school, they were hoping that I would accommodate USACA by offering up my program for Holding’s visit. Within two days I won approval from the school administration, planned, and successfully hosted ambassador Holding at my school. At a luncheon following Ambassador Holding’s presentation, the school’s Athletic Director, Ms. Ponze, offered to USACA the opportunity to start a formal cricket program at the school. The USACA delegation made elaborate promises that have since proven to be empty. In fact, these gentlemen did not even have the common courtesy of writing a thank you note to my principal who, on several occasions after, chided me on whether the children were merely used as pawns by the national body. It was, therefore, with a personal sense of satisfaction that I greeted the news in 2008 that school cricket would make its debut in New York some 10 years after the first school cricket experiment at a gym in Forest Hills, wrote the New York Times.

In the past year USA Cricket has changed more than it had in the last two decades – and that, in spite of, and not because of USACA. From the young men I saw playing a pickup game in a schoolyard in Lenexa, Kansas to the numerous youth and school programs across the country, thousands are playing their part to make the dream of American cricket a reality. Too, the coaches (from little league to the pros) who play their part to inspire the youngsters with their passion, love and knowledge of the game. National coaches Clayton Lambert and Sew Shivnarine, winning U19 coach Sujesh Pullikal, and U15 coach Rajendra Badadare, [and countless other coaches], have been instrumental in selflessly moving USA Cricket from an amateur sport to the level it is today. It is precisely this kind of dedication that hopefully will inspire these coaches to selflessly remain on the coaching staff, and commit their enormous energies and knowledge of US cricket in support of a big name coach to take USA Cricket to the next level. A big name coach will also attract the kind of media attention that would entice sponsorship for US cricket.  Ultimately, USA Cricket will succeed or fail depending on its ability to finance the kind of training and development program that would enable it to compete on the international stage.  

Everyone too, must get involve and do their part if USA Cricket is to succeed. Let your voices be heard. Remember that all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. Next time you overhear someone maliciously badmouthing US cricket, politely say to them: Ask not what US cricket can do for you, but what you can do for US cricket. As we say in education, each one teach one.

 Comment on this article

Read part I of this article here

Posted comments

Sham
I must say that you are an encyclopedia of cricket knowledge in the United States. Many may wonder why you are'nt a part of the body who runs cricket in this country - USACA. I suppose the answer will be, as you suggested. The malcontents will feel inferior that they have someone on board who IS much smarter than them. It is common knowledge that you are a kind of "the conscience of cricket" in the USA. You tell it like it is. The insecurity of the power that be will not entertain a person of your calibre and integrity to get on ship to spoil their crooked and warped ways.

In the comments I made to Part 1 of this series, I encouraged every cricket lover in this country to rise up and fight the injustice done to our sports by those who masquerade as administrators. It is my earnest hope that after reading the facts that you have so courageously stated they will creator a clamor that will spark some action.
Again I will eccourage the Council of League Presidents to speak to their member clubs. The clubs should stop paying dues to USACA. Create disfunctionalism. yes, it is hard to undermine something that we love. But we have to realize that on the sites of ruins new edifices are built. To get new and renewed vegetation the forest floor is burnt. from the ashes come lush greenery.

Sham, I am proposeing that we create a body that dedicate itself to the removal of the impoosters in office. I am willing to join this cause. We have the tool at our fingertips - the computer. Let us deluge cricket officials and organizations all over the country. Let's remember how the French revolution started. A simple voice raised a crescendo.
Yes, school cricket is the main cause

Sam Sooppersaud, NY

Sham,
Good article. I always like to read positive reports. I like to introduce you to pioneering youth cricket efforts and success of california cricket academy where ajit tendulkar coaches. You can refer to our webite at www.calcricket.org.
I can introduce you to other activities academy took over to help youth in usa.

Hemant Buch, California

"The USACA delegation made elaborate promises that have since proven to be empty. In fact, these gentlemen did not even have the common courtesy of writing a thank you note to my principal"
Shame them Mr. Samaroo Shame them.

Marlon, NY

Keep the malcontents out of US cricket.

Paul 2, NY

Sam Soopersaud is right. Sham Samaroo should be president of USACA.  The man has the ability the knowledge and the experience and he is honest.

Str8 Talkr, NY