Posted on 06/10/2006 6:43:33 PM PDT by BaBaStooey
Agreement for 'aggressive expansion' in North America
India and West Indies to play in USA
Cricinfo staff
May 11, 2006
The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has announced that it has signed an agreement with the Indian board which will see the two countries work together to exploit the lucrative US market. The USA is home to more than 10 million expats, many from the subcontinent and the Caribbean, of which more than 200,000 are said to be dollar millionaires.
The WICB said that the first major project would be to host three to five one-day internationals in the USA and Canada in August and September. These will be outside the Future Tour Program unveiled earlier this week, and as that shows India are already committed to a tri-series in Sri Lanka in the first half of August, the likelihood is that this will be in Septmeber. That is sure to attract comment as several of India's players have expressed concern over player burnout and September provides some rare time off for them ahead of a chaotic year.
The series comes almost immediately after India complete a four-Test, five-ODI tour of the Caribbean which starts this weekend.
It is also unclear how the USA Cricket Association will react to the news, as officially they should have control over matches played on their soil. Although Ken Gordon, the WICB president, was in Florida last month to meet with USACA officials, it is not thought that anything was agreed, although a spokesman for the USACA stated that it had been "kept fully abreast throughout the negotiating process" and that it was "extremely excited that these two entities have decided to engage each other in North America".
What is beyond doubt is that the WICB, which has massive debts, needs the income these games will generate, and the press release makes that clear. "Because of current financial difficulties, India will fund this project on the understanding that it will be repaid out of the West Indies' share of the profits of the series."
This is, according to the WICB, the first of a number of joint projects, which include "the opening of the multi-complex stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and the aggressive expansion of cricket in North America."
© Cricinfo
------------------------------
To play against an All-Stars United States team
Lara to lead West Indies in New York
Cricinfo staff
May 9, 2006
Brian Lara: headed for the Big Apple © Getty Images
Brian Lara will lead a West Indies squad against an All-Stars United States team in two promotional one-day matches in New York on July 8 and 9. Cricket International, a New York-based cricket publication, one of the sponsors of the event, confirmed Lara's availability along with that of several other West Indies players.
"I have not played cricket there for some time, so I, personally, am looking forward [to] getting there, and I know a lot of my team-mates are supposed to be coming over and playing those two matches," he has been quoted as saying by the Jamaica Gleaner. "It is always good to spread your wings and get across to a different sort of audience and I am hoping that we can have a lot of Americans as well. It's exciting, and it's going to be good cricket."
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Smith, Daren Ganga, Fidel Edwards, Corey Collymore, Runako Morton, Denesh Ramdin, Ian Bradshaw and Rawl Lewis are expected to be in the West Indies squad.
Both matches wil be played at the Floyd Bennett Park in Brooklyn.
It will be somewhat successful, even if they manage to only attract the support of our rich Indian/Pakistani doctors and scientists. However, you may not be aware of the extremely long history this country has had with the game. Its impact in our country fell when England decided to shut us out (because we weren't a colony, i.e. under their control), and because at that same time, a similar game we had control of, "baseball" was on the rise and its professional game was being supported by American businessmen.
However, with the rise of soccer in this country (and I am speaking of both our increased success as a national side, and the entrenchment of our pro league, the MLS), is it really unrealistic to think that cricket couldn't catch on in a similar way? There are millions of expats here, alone (who have plenty of money).
In addition, I feel that we shouldn't sit by and watch our national cricket team struggle at the international level while nations like Zimbabwe and Bangladesh have the highest status. If baseball had never existed, and all of the people and resources associated with that game were in cricket, I have no doubt that we would not only have the most successful domestic professional league in the world, we would likely have the best national team as well. Is it too much to ask that we help and support our national team, so they can beat the likes of Canada and Oman?
Curling is poised to take America by storm. ;~)
It seems to, every four years.
Yes, when I was much younger I remember my sisters curling, looked like they had an antenna on their head. But now they all go to the beauty shop to do their curling.
Though born and raised in the Midwest, I like both cricket and curling. I might have to make a trip in the fall to see these matches.
I have worked with quite a few Indians, and Britains, that LOVE cricket.
I like baseball, and I bet I would like cricket, as well.
If there are tea and finger sandwich breaks between wickets, I'm in. Damn civilised!
If this becomes successful, it could well be a back to the future scenario - once upon a time, cricket was the major sport in the United States.
In the longer version of the game, there is a lunch break at lunch time, and a tea break at tea time. The only thing people do after a wicket falls is stand up and cheer.
However, the type of matches planned for the USA are one day matches, which will only have a lunch break. Feel free to drink all the tea you want during that time.
It would be interesting to how the Yankee (desis) play cricket ;)
"The only thing people do after a wicket falls is stand up and cheer."
Only the English people do that.
I've seen video of plenty of matches in India where they also cheer...however, depending on whether or not they are playing Pakistan, sometimes they cheer for the entire match.
"Now that was a wicked googly."
I've been working on my googly. Seriously. Its a great wicket taking ball.
Well Indians, Pakis and Sri Lankans do a lot more than just stand up, clap and then quietly sit down again.......like the Englishmen.
I see what you mean. Yay for cricket.
<< It would be interesting to see how the [United States of America] plays cricket ;) >>
Have to get the Aussies over to show us that.
And maybe, to ensure a modicum of competition, have them play South Africa.
Or even, at a stretch insofar as is concerned the suggestion of any competition for Australia, the MCC.
[Asuming anyone could get the lazy Limeys off their arses long enough to make the flight across and play a match]
<];^)~<
Blessings, my Brother - Brian
I'd just like to let everyone know how the two teams (India and the West Indies) have been playing during their current series.
In the one-day series, a red hot West Indies side (coming off their predictable steamrolling of Zimbabwe), playing at home, won easily, four matches to one. This is the version of the game which they will be playing when the two teams travel to North America later this year.
The test series has gone differently. Three matches played so far, and three draws. Both teams at times have had the advantage, but neither has been able to bowl the other out the required 20 times in order to claim victory. Some bad weather has had a part in the draws, but for the most part, the team with the lead has not found the resolve to put the other away, and the team batting last and trailing in the fourth innings has worked hard, stayed focused, and fought for a well deserved draw.
The fourth test began today at Sabina Park in Jamaica, and play is scheduled until the fourth of July. This will be the last match of the series. India won the toss and elected to bat first. India are in some trouble so far, after roughly 43 overs of play, they are 63 for 4. The openers, Sehwag and Jaffer, combined to score only one run. Laxman and Singh's wickets have also fallen. All four of the West Indian bowlers have good economy rates so far. Dravid is not out, and as long as that is the case, especially with the wicketkeeper Dhoni coming in at number seven, India have a chance to make up for their misfortune today.
These two teams have been very competitive so I think their matches in North America should be good cricket. I hope that the facilities and pitches they use here will be of the best quality possible. I hope that the series will be a success because I do think the sport can and should have a future in North America.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.