USYCA adds United States Junior Cricket as USYCA affiliate member

The US Junior Cricket has joined the aggressively growing US Youth Cricket Association as an affiliate member; it was announced by Jamie Harrison, the USYCA president.

 The USJC has a similar as USYCA, which is to introduce cricket to children through “in school” coaching programs, to follow “in school” introduction with extracurricular coaching and opportunities for youngsters to practice in a conducive atmosphere, to encourage young cricketers to play socially and in age group regulated, local, national and international competition, to train coaches and teachers to expand the “in school” program and to to sponsor, local, national and international events for all age groups of junior cricketers

These goals also reflect what USYCA believes is necessary to grow the game among youngsters in the US.

The USJC, which began as the California Youth Cricket Development Program in 1998, has benefited from the experience of first class players like Malcolm Nash, the former captain of Glamorgan County in England, and former Indian Test cricketer Abid Ali.

“We are delighted with what USYCA has done and commend you for your great effort and vision,” said David Sentance, President of the SCCA affiliate of USJC. Sentance has been a longtime player and administrator in US cricket with a goal of improving the game in the US.

“USYCA is thrilled to be joined by an organization of such renown and history as USJC,” said Jamie Harrison, President of USYCA. “We look forward to working with USJC to spread cricket to playing fields throughout America.

 USYCA is focusing its energy on schools and youngsters to form a strong base for the game to grow just like baseball, football, hockey, basketball and soccer.

Cricket edges its way into the melting pot of Brooklyn.

Brooklyn, one of the five boroughs that make up New York City, is well known as a melting pot of different people from all over the world. Now cricket is quietly making inroads into this city, which was once the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team before it relocated to Los Angeles.

 For many years cricket has been played on parks in Brooklyn, but now Linden Fraser, the United States senior women’s team coach, is teaching the skills and finer points of the game over summer at Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York.

 The  college has a long history of successful athletic programs, but cricket has not been one of them until John Aaron, who is secretary of the United States of America Cricket Association and the college’s Continuing Education Director of Marketing and Corporate Training, persuaded the college to add cricket to the curriculum of its College for Kids program.

 Aaron, who has a reputation of being a hard worker at board level and on the ground in trying to improve the standard and growth of the game, is the architect behind the program.

 Fraser is the coach and with the help of other cricketers is passing on his knowledge to about 80 girls and boys aged six to 13 for two days a week in four hour sessions.

 Fraser said he began coaching about six weeks ago and that the program would end later in August. He said the plan was to resume the program in the fall, but only on weekends.

 “When we first started the kids were swinging the bats like in baseball,” he said in an interview with www.cricketusamag.com.

 Asked if the youngsters were picking up the new game, he said: “Surprisingly, yes. They are getting pretty good. They are improving and getting the gist of it. At first it was all about baseball and it was confusing to them. They do like it now.”

 Fraser, 45, who is from Guyana and has lived in the US for the past 18 years, is strongly in favor of the concept of introducing cricket at grassroots level to children. He wants the game to begin at school level so children can grow up with it like football, baseball, basketball and hockey, the mainstream sports.

 “I have always believed that for us to move forward we have to start at grassroots level,” he said.

 Fraser had his career as a fast bowler shortened when he was in his early 20s following ligament and cartilage injuries to his left knee because of wear and tear. He played with the Guyana Under 19 team and then the senior side before he turned professional and competed in Scotland and the Lancashire League in England for seven years.

 He has been coaching in the New York Region, including Under 19 boys, for the past 10 years and also works in the shipping industry.

 While the game still has a long way to go to reach the comparable heights of traditional cricket playing nations, Fraser says: “I love coaching and the game is slowly expanding. At last we have support from the administration.”

 Triholder Marshall, a fast bowler who plays with the US women’s senior side, has helped Fraser with indoor and outdoor coaching.

 Marshall recently helped the US team defeat Canada in a three-game series to advance to the next qualifying series for the women’s World Cup.

USACA president hopeful men’s team will do well in Italy

Gladstone Dainty, the President of the United States of America Cricket Association, has been in the game long enough to draw a line between administration and the playing side of cricket.

While the face of success of USACA is reflected by the performance of the senior men’s team, Dainty’s first responsibility is to make sure that everything runs to plan from the administrative side so the players can perform at their highest level.

Even so Dainty keeps a close eye on what is happening on the field even though he has all the confidence he needs in captain Steve Massiah, coach Clayton Lambert and manager Imran Khan.

Over the past two weeks he has spoken to Lambert, Khan and Massiah about the team’s performance in the International Cricket Conference World Cricket League Division Four Tournament against host nation Italy, Argentina, Cayman Islands, Tanzania and Nepal.

It wasn’t a lecture or a coach’s half-time address, just a friendly chat explaining just how important this tournament is to the US.

The team, which is in Italy now, knows that the future of US cricket on the international stage is at stake.

Dainty said in an interview with cricketusamag.com that a finish in the top two of the tournament will see the US advance from Division Four to Division Three and a bottom two finish will have the team back in Division Five.

“We don’t want to go back to Division Five,” he said. “I am hopeful they will do well. I think we have a nice mix of talent.”

 A successful tournament, which will be played in Bologna, Italy, from August 12 to 22, also will give the US an opportunity to play in the International Cricket Conference World Cup in 2015.

Dainty was optimistic and thrilled about the selectors naming youngsters headed by the very promising 16-year-old Steven Taylor, an opening batsman and wicketkeeper, and Adrian Gordon, 22, Muhammad Asad Ghous, 20, and Timroy Allen, 22.

He also liked that the 44-year-old Nasir Javed, a right hand bat and leg spinner, was in the team to add experience and international knowledge.

Javed has played at international level with the Pakistan A team while touring the West Indies and Zimbabwe, he has also represented the US and has played at first class level in Pakistan and has a resume worth looking at, including a board member with USACA.

He still plays with the Pakistan Cricket Club in the South Florida Cricket League.

“I like the team and I am hoping we can put together a string of wins. We have good players in the US now and the competition to get into the senior team, I think, can only make us better,”  Dainty said.

Dainty is hopeful that the younger players will blend in well with the experience of Javed,  Massiah, Orlando Baker, Kevin Darlington and Aditya Tharagarajan and come up with a successful combination.

“A lot of work has been put into this tournament,” said Dainty, adding: “Our long term aim is to get into the World Cup.”

Dainty discussed the opposing teams with Massiah and Lambert.

He said: “When I talked with them it was about how important it was to get the right team. We know the Cayman Islands, Nepal and Argentina pretty well.”

The scouting reports suggest that Tanzania and the Cayman Islands do not play well against spin and Javed can be an asset in this department.

Before the team left for Italy, batsman Aditya Tharagarajan said he believed the team was closely knit and going in the right direction as it tried to advance to Division  One, which was a priority.

The team: Steve Massiah (captain) 31, Sushil Nadkarni, (vice captain) 34, Aditya Tharagarajan, 31, Adrian Gordon, 22, Carl Wright, 33, Kevin Darlington, 37, Khawaja Usman Shuja, 31, Lennox Cush, 35, Muhammad Asad Ghous, 20, Nasir Javed, 44, Orlando Baker, 31, Rashard Marshall, 28, Steven Taylor, 16, and Timroy Allen, 22. Clayton Lambert (coach) and Imran Khan (manager).

US women’s coach seeks teenager in India to strengthen team for World Cup qualifier

Linden Fraser, the United States women’s team coach, isn’t rolling the dice when he says there is a 15-year-old schoolgirl in India who should be playing for the senior side.

He said that he would encourage the selectors to name Shebani Bhaskar to the US squad when the team is chosen for next year’s qualifying tournament in Bangladesh for the 2012 World Cup in India.

 Fraser, who was speaking to cricketusamag.com after the US women’s team recent successful campaign in Toronto, Canada, said: “She is our brightest hope.

“Shebani is a brilliant bat and should be in the team. I have met her and watched her play on video. She is very good. She is young and physically fit and plays regularly.”

Fraser said Shebani scored 103, including 15 fours, of her team’s 181 total in a recent game in Tamil Nadu in India where she plays in an Under 17 competition.

Shebani was born in the US, but her family decided to move back to India several years ago. She and her family visited friends in the US in June last year and at the time she met Fraser.

Fraser was looking ahead to next year’s tournament after he was buoyed by the US team’s three victories against Canada in 50 over contests to qualify for next year’s tournament. The celebrations, however, were slightly watered down when Canada rebounded to win the two 20/20 games.

The US team suffered several injuries and fitness became a major concern and then there was the controversy with the walkout by wicketkeeper Pauline Williams.

Williams claimed she was not happy with the way she was treated in Canada and being overlooked in games. When she left the squad at the start of the third 50-over game the Americans felt the immediate pressure of playing one short for the remainder of the trip.

The  hullabaloo left a sour taste with the touring party, which Fraser, who did not make the trip to Canada, hopes will be sorted out soon.

“It is an issue that the administration has to deal with. The players may forgive her. I don’t know. That’s the question,” he said.

US women’s captain Durga Das said in an interview with cricketusamag.com from Mumbai where she is on a business trip, that the controversy with Williams could be sorted out allowing the players to move on.

“Pauline is young. These things happen and I have no hard feelings,” said Das, who plays with the Western Firebirds in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Fraser said that women’s cricket in the past year had improved as much as 30 percent. He said there was now more interest in the game and this was reflected in a coming three day tournament in Fort Lauderdale from October 8 to 10.

He said there were four teams scheduled to compete from New York, the North East region, California and the Atlantic region, but over the past few days there had been interest from more teams and the tournament might be increased to six teams.

The improvement in the US team has been all round, said Fraser, with younger players from the Caribbean, India and Pakistan with the average age around 24. The youngest in the team is 22-year-old Triholder Marshall and the oldest Durga, who is 40.  

Fraser is concerned about the number of injuries players had in Canada and the fitness level was also another worry. The fitness of players probably contributed to the injuries. “We just did not play enough and the body was not accustomed to that hammering,” he said.

He said the US team should have a physiotherapist for the next tournament.

Fraser said he hoped selectors named a squad of 20 or 22 before next year’s qualifier with a coach and trainer so the players could work together and reach a high fitness level. Then the final 14-woman squad would be chosen for the qualifier in Bangladesh.

Das, an upper order bat and off spinner, said everyone in the team had to work hard to be in the team and warned that it would be “10 times harder in Bangladesh than it was in Canada.”

She said injuries became a worry in Canada when seven or eight players suffered minor injuries ranging from turned ankles, muscle strains and bruising. “It came down to lack of preparation for the games and the level of fitness,” said Das.

“We need to prepare differently. It is about playing smart and not just running hard.”

Das sat with Robin Singh, the coach of the Mumbai Indians in the India Professional League and coach of the India Under 19 team, on a two-hour flight from Chennai to Mumbai.

She could not believe her luck that she met Singh by chance and took his advice and tips on fitness and preparation for games. Das plans to train with Singh’s teams while in Mumbai.

During her conversation with Singh he discussed the high level of fitness of the Australian women’s team, one of the top contenders for the World Cup.

While fitness and preparation are high on the women’s agenda, getting selectors to pick Shebani is also a priority.

“Hopefully, we will qualify and I think we have an excellent chance to qualify,” said Fraser.

DreamCricket Pavilion Shop Becomes “Official Equipment Supplier” to USYCA

 DreamCricket Pavilion Shop Becomes “Official Equipment Supplier” to USYCA

 Pledges 100 free cricket kits for USA cricket development.  Delivers 15 kits to USYCA.

  HILLSBOROUGH, NJ – DreamCricket.com, USA’s premier cricket website, made a pledge today to provide 100 cricket kits for cricket development to the United States Youth Cricket Association (USYCA) and other qualified organizations.

 The company announced that it had already donated the first 15 kits to USYCA and will donate the remaining 85 kits in a phased manner before year-end.   A number of elementary schools, such as Highland Park in Landover, Maryland and summer camps, such as Hidden Meadows in Bartow, West Virginia, have benefited from the free kits thereby introducing cricket to over 800 cricketers in the under-12 age category.

 Charles Silberman, the Physical Education instructor at Highland Park E.S. said, “The school was provided with a set of equipment to keep, and the instruction provided to the students was easy to understand, age appropriate, and it allowed the students to start playing a modified version of cricket within a thirty minute class period.”

 DreamCricket.com also announced that its retail store – The Pavilion (PavilionShop.com) became the Official Equipment Supplier to USYCA. In its position as Official Equipment Supplier, DreamCricket will provide cricket sets for USYCA affiliates’ use in their schools programs.  The kits sold through USYCA affiliates will be sold at a deeply discounted rate. The discounted rate will also apply to children in USYCA programs that wish to purchase sets of their own. In addition, for each set purchased from DreamCricket.com, a donation will be made by DreamCricket.com to USYCA.

 Kranthi Bayya, CEO of DreamCricket said, “DreamCricket.com is committed to bringing youth cricket to the United States, and we are excited to be affiliated with the USYCA team, because we recognize the great progress and potential there.  At DreamCricket Academy, we have run Kiddie Cricket programs and we understand the difficulties faced in youth cricket development at the grass-roots level.   USYCA came to us with a plan earlier this year and we worked together on a pilot program and saw first-hand the quality of their execution in youth cricket development.  We now want to cement this partnership for the long-term so that USYCA can continue to do the great work they have been doing. We look forward with great anticipation to the future of youth cricket in the USA.”

 Jamie Harrison, President of USYCA, said, “We are delighted to be working with DreamCricket.com, America’s number one online cricket destination. This partnership demonstrates their vision and willingness to invest in youth cricket in the United States, and speaks volumes about their national leadership. I couldn’t think of a more perfect match for USYCA.”

 Since 2007, DreamCricket.com (www.DreamCricket.com), has grown rapidly into USA’s premier cricket news and opinion website.  Its Pavilion shop, now accessible online and offline, is now one of the nation’s largest cricket stores, boasting a 6,000 sq. ft. physical location and offering high-end indoor facility with bowling machines and an astro-grass surface.   DreamCricket Academy is the company’s development arm that offers several coaching camps and sessions tailored to meet the needs of individual cricketers across all ages and skill levels.   The Academy is aided by US-based and international coaches including Coach Earl Daley, Coach Ian Pont and Coach Bharath Kumar.

 The Academy is frequently visited by legendary test cricketers and the Academy’s teams participate in different tournaments in the Under-15 and Under-13 age categories.

 The United States Youth Cricket Association (http://usyouthcricket.org) is dedicated to introducing cricket to American children by supporting local youth cricket organizations and by sharing funding, printed and digital resources, and “best practices.” It is also a network of dedicated volunteers who give their time, energy and money to bring cricket to schools. USYCA, working closely with clubs, training facilities and academies, will be a feeder system, supplying a steady flow of new, young cricketers with which to fill their ranks. USYCA is also firmly committed to fully developing women’s cricket by drawing girls into our sport at an early age and shepherding them through to national teams.

Contact:

 Kranthi Bayya

 DreamCricket.com

 877-HIT-A-SIX

 (877-448-2749)

Contact:

 Jamie Harrison, President

United States Youth Cricket Association

 usyouthcricket@gmail.com

443-835-0619

Metropolitan Team Wins Championship and Spot in the 2010 US Cricket Open

Metropolitan Team Wins Championship and Spot in the 2010 US Cricket Open 
     The Metropolitan Cricket League under the captaincy of former Jamaica and USA national representative, Richard Staples took the Championship Trophy in the inaugural MAQ T20 New York Cricket Tournament. Batting first after winning the toss, the Metropolitan Cricket League defeated the Commonwealth Cricket League by 48 runs to capture the first prize of $2500.00 and a qualifying spot in the 2010 US Cricket Open. USA representative Barrington Bartley entertained the large and screaming crowd with some delight shots around the very fast outfield at the Idlewild Park in Queens.  Metropolitan Cricket League scored 188 for 8 with Bartley stroking 76 with three sixes and eight fours, while Staples chip in with 46 not out including six sixes. Other useful contributions came from George Adams 13, Denniston Thomas 12 and Akeem Dodson 12.
     Bowling for Commonwealth Cricket League, former Jamaica and West Indies fast bowler Jermaine Lawson grabbed two for 35, Ali Zar two for 22 and Sharmar Khan two for 34.
     In reply, the Commonwealth Cricket League was dismissed for 148 with Asif Mohamed hitting 39 with five sixes and two fours, while Shahid Shazad scored 33 with two sixes and two fours. Sharmad Khan contributed 28 and Hunan Munir got 26.
     Bowling for the Metropolitan Cricket League, Richard Staples bagged three for 26, Barrington Bartley two for 27, Jason Greaves two for 32 and Denniston Thomas two for 34. Barrington Bartley was named the MVP of the finals. Commonwealth Cricket League receive the second prize compliments of Sam’s Food Stores, Brooklyn Cricket League the semi-finals prize compliments of Diabes Enterprises and New York Cricket League the semi-finals prize compliments of Revenue Management Systems (RMS). The cricket fans of New York were treated to two delightful and entertaining dates of cricket. Cricket Council USA wishes to thank the New York Cricket Region, New York Regional Director, Mr. Selwyn Caesar and tournament Chairman, Mr. Rudy Persaud. Special thanks to the sponsors, Sam’s Food Stores, Diabes Enterprises, RMS, T20 Energy Drinks and the MAQ Group.

US college titles sprout from five to 24 teams with a long line waiting

Lloyd Jodah’s plan to help cricket grow at college level is moving at a pace he did not even dream about.

The American College Cricket Championship, which began in 2009 with just five teams and then rocketed to 20 this year, will have at least 24 in next year’s titles at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, near Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

The championships have had at least 40 colleges asking to be a part of the tournament, which will be played from March 15 to March 20, 2011.

If organizers stay with the 24 teams, then there will be four groups of six teams each playing a round robin format. The top four teams will then play in the semi finals and the remaining two competing for the Shivnarine Chanderpaul Trophy, named after the West Indies Test  batsman.

The championship trophy was named after a current Test player so the college players could all identify with a player still performing at international level.

The Lauderhill venue was chosen because it is close to beaches and has a healthy social and night life for the college players to enjoy off the field.

Jodah said that the games will be played under the 20/20 format and played on two turf wickets and three artificial pitches.

 In an interview with CricketUSAmag.com, he said: “There are a lot of things that are helping this grow. There are many colleges who have guys who can play, but the structure is not there yet.”

Jodah, who began the college championships after he had formed a partnership with Nino DiLoretto, of Florida, said his research found that there were 105,000 college students from India alone who were registered from a foreign country.

He said there would be at least another 25,000 from other cricket playing countries like England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka that would take the total to 130,000.

Jodah said the championships were scheduled to be played during the spring break to allow students and fans to make the trip to Florida and not miss out on their studies.

Asked about the rapid growth of the championships, he said: “Fortunately, it is happening the way I had planned it. There is no question it is growing bigger and bigger.

“We now have the mainstream media in the US aware of cricket and the college websites are beginning to cover it.”

York University from Toronto, Canada, which won the championship this year, has asked Jodah permission to use the team’s photograph in the university’s handbook.

This is considered a major step because potential students can read about the college cricket team’s success.

In 2009 Boston University, Montgomery College (Maryland), University of South Florida, University of Miami and Carnegie Mellon University (Pennsylvania) played in the first   championship. Montgomery College won.

This year the University of the West Indies in Barbados, took part in the tournament.

Jodah is confident cricket is a game that can spread in the US, but it needs to be marketed properly to attract Americans.

He knows that cricket has to move beyond the people who have moved to the US from cricket playing countries. The game plan is to infiltrate high schools and colleges so students can begin playing at an early age and grow with it.

All rounder Ankit Sehgal, a finance and Information Systems Management student at Montgomery College, said: “The college tournament is a very good idea. I think the US senior team needs a lot of youngsters.

“About a year ago the team had seven players who were 30 or 32 years or older in the team. I think that is too old. The college tournament is a good idea and it is an opportunity to groom younger players.”

Sehgal, 24, who lives in Gaithersburg, played in the first two championships and said he planned to represent Montgomery College again next year.

C.C. Morris Cricket Library Announces Support For USYCA

HAVERFORD, PA – The C.C. Morris Cricket Library Association is pleased to announce its support for the United States Youth Cricket Association, including the establishment of a substantial fund to help defray the costs of certain expenses that USYCA will incur in its early stages and in acquiring 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service.

Because it understands how critical these early organizational steps are, the C. C. Morris Cricket Library Association has agreed to provide this funding, and looks forward with much anticipation to the future endeavors of USYCA as it strives to popularize and expand cricket in America at a truly grass-roots level.

Paul Hensley, President of the C.C. Morris Cricket Library Association, said, “We are very impressed with the work USYCA has done to date in the establishment of a national network of groups that want to promote youth cricket. Increasing the number of children who play cricket is a long-term goal of the C. C. Morris Cricket Library Association, and we are very excited about the USYCA’s progress made to date in this area.”

Jamie Harrison, President of USYCA, said, “We are honored and gratified to have both the friendship and the support of an institution as prestigious as the C. C. Morris Cricket Library Association. This generous gift underscores their commitment to youth cricket and to the popularization of cricket in the United States.”

The C. Christopher Morris Cricket Library and Collection (http://www.ccmorris.org/home.html) is the largest collection of cricket literature and memorabilia in the Western Hemisphere. Its primary efforts focus on preserving the history of the game of Cricket in America in all forms. It is a place where the traditions of this unique game remain as an available part of the American heritage and where new generations may learn. Our members are actively involved with numerous projects to support current and develop new Cricket activities in the US and Canada. The Library sponsors the annual Philadelphia International Cricket Festival and has contributed a substantial number of items from it’s collection to the exhibit ‘Swinging Away: How Cricket and Baseball Connect’ now at Lord’s Cricket Grounds in London. The exhibit at Lord’s is a collaboration of the MCC and the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum with support from the library. The exhibit will be on display in Cooperstown in 2011.

The United States Youth Cricket Association (http://usyouthcricket.org) is dedicated to introducing cricket to American children by supporting local youth cricket organizations and by sharing funding, printed and digital resources, and “best practices.” It is also a network of dedicated volunteers who give their time, energy and money to bring cricket to schools. USYCA, working closely with clubs, training facilities and academies, will be a feeder system, supplying a steady flow of new, young cricketers with which to fill their ranks. USYCA is also firmly committed to fully developing women’s cricket by drawing girls into our sport at an early age and shepherding them through to national teams.

Contact:

Paul Hensley, President

C.C. Morris Cricket Library Association

paul.hensley@gmail.com

856-426-1910

Jamie Harrison, President

United States Youth Cricket Association

usyouthcricket@gmail.com

443-835-0619

Despite his life threatening injuries he still wants to play cricket

 N Valentine’s Day, Cleopatra Richards took the subway from her apartment in Brooklyn, New York, to visit Stephen Gibson, her longtime boyfriend, who is in rehab at the Roosevelt Island Hospital after being struck by lightning while playing in a limited over cricket match seven months ago.

 Instead of taking flowers and chocolates or a gift to Gibson, 42, she cooked him one of his favorite meals — curried goat with rice and vegetables, a tossed salad and a carrot cake.

 Richards, 39, also gave Gibson a rose and a nutritious milk drink. The two shared their romantic meal in the hospital room, which for a couple of hours became their intimate restaurant on the day when cupid intervenes and couples declare their love for each other.

 Gibson embraced Richards with a warm hug, a kiss and told her: “I love you.” For Richards this meant more than a dozen roses or any gift money can buy.

 Since July 26 last year, the two have gone through an ordeal that has tested their love for each other and Gibson’s resilience to survive pain and life threatening injuries to stay alive. It began with a Saturday afternoon cricket match in Brooklyn with Gibson, an all rounder, playing for Stars United against Middlesex of New York.

 As a fierce mid afternoon thunderstorm drenched the field, Gibson ran from the field to seek shelter and was struck by lightning in what has been described as a freak accident. At the time Richards was in her apartment cooking chicken with peas and a salad, which she described as a “delicious Caribbean dish,” and another favorite of Gibson’s.

 The scene was set for a typical Saturday night date, but what was supposed to be a tasty dinner talking about Gibson’s performance in the match earlier in the day suddenly turned into horror and screams.

Jasper Davis, a cricket teammate and friend called Richards and said that Gibson was dead. Panic overwhelmed her. She began to scream and ran towards Gibson’s apartment, which is in the same neighborhood.

While running, thoughts raced through her mind of Gibson being attacked or hit by a car on his way home after leaving her apartment the previous night.

A few minutes later Davis called back and told her Gibson had been hit by lightning, but he was still alive and had been taken to Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan.

 Richards, who has been in a relationship with Gibson for the past three years, they first met him in St Vincent in the Caribbean almost a decade ago, has visited him every day, sitting by his bed, holding his hand, tending to his needs, praying and reading the Bible to him.

Gibson was in a coma for about three weeks, did not eat for about a month and could not speak for around five months. Since he was hit by lightning, Gibson has been in three hospitals and is now in rehab.

 Gibson is very lucky to be still alive after lightning struck him across the left side of his face and it exited through his feet.

The hit was so severe that he was bleeding from the brain, had injuries to his lung, kidneys and liver and suffered burns inside and outside of his body. His hat, pants and shoes were all burned.

 Richards will never forget the first time she saw Gibson in hospital as he lay lifeless on a bed surrounded by doctors and nurses. She kept asking: “Is he OK? Is he OK?’”

 Gibson, an electrician, is now slowly beginning to speak, although not clearly, a few words at a time. He still can’t walk on his own or even stand up, he can’t bathe by himself, but he can shave and he gets around during rehab in a walker and in a wheelchair.

 It is a long and steady process before he can resume a normal life and, hopefully, play cricket again.

 ”He shakes a lot because he has trouble with some of his nerves,” said Richards. “Stephen still does not remember what happened to him that day and he has asked me about it.” She tries to recount the incident as best she can.

 Richards says that Gibson, who moved to New York from St Vincent nearly five years ago, has lost around 60 pounds or more since he was hospitalized. “He has always been active and he loves his sport, especially cricket,” she said.

 Gibson has told Richards that despite his life threatening injuries he still wants to play cricket when he fully recovers. She says she is happy for him to play again as long as he quickly leaves the field if there is a thunderstorm.

 Over the past few months his teammates have visited him and the conversation always seems to return to the game they love so much.

While Gibson is now on the path to recovery there are several people who helped save his life right after he had been hit by lightning. They, say cricket officials, are the unsung heroes.

 One of them is Patrice Redhead, who ran to his aid and helped save his life by using CPR and pumped his chest with her arms until a group of players came to assist her.

The players followed Redhead’s instructions on how to perform CPR while she pumped his chest with her arms. An ambulance arrived between 10 and 15 minutes after Gibson had been hit.

When Redhead began CPR on Gibson there was no heart beat and his eyes began to roll back, but after frantic work on his body a heart beat was detected.

 Redhead, who was with her two sons watching her husband Ortis Charles play in the game, has no formal first aid training, but she said that she loved watching cop shows like Law and Order, House, CSI and CSI Miami on TV over many years.

 She recalled how the actors did CPR in the shows and she performed CPR as best she could when Gibson needed her help.

It was enough until the ambulance arrived and Gibson received professional help.

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For off spinner Ghous it is all about line, length, a little turn and drifting the ball.

Right arm off spinner Muhammad Ghous will never forget the first ball he bowled while representing the United States senior cricket team in a recent match against Jamaica. The first game, the first hit, the first catch and the first ball bowled are always a special occasion for a player when wearing his country’s colors.

But for Ghous, 20, it was not a memorable one. He bowled a full toss and was slammed for a six over mid wicket. Welcome to the big time.

Understandably, he was nervous playing in his first international. But there was also another reason. He said he was “thinking too much about how to get the batsman out.”

The six was a wake up call for Ghous, who by many accounts has a promising career with the US team. He said: “It shook me up a bit. It was a big thing.”

While the inglorious start to big time cricket might have rattled most 20-year-olds, it didn’t hurt the confidence of Ghous, who lives in Iselin, New Jersey, and splits his time playing local cricket with Prince Cricket Club in the Eastern American League in New York and the Guyanese West Indies Cricket Club in New Jersey’s Garden State League.

In nine games with the US team, Ghous has captured 12 wickets in matches against Jamaica, Bahamas, Cayman Island, Bermuda and Canada in 50-over and T20 contests.

Ghous is very much in the national selectors’ long range plans and has probably done enough to hold his place in the senior squad for the next US mission in Italy in August when it plays in the International Cricket Conference World Cup Division Four 50-over qualifier.

“It is up to the selectors,” he said in an interview with cricketusamag.com.

US senior team coach and former West Indies Test player Clayton Lambert likes what he sees in the Ghous even though it is still early days in his career.

“I think he is going to be a good one. He has a good feel for the game and he is improving rapidly,” said Lambert. “He is very composed on the field, confident, and comfortable even when he steps up to a higher level.”

Ghous, says Lambert, has a delivery that is not easy to pick because of the way he disguises the drift of the ball once it leaves his hand.

There is no secret to his bowling nor is there a mystery, says Ghous. He says it all comes down to many hours of practice and watching film of past great Test off spinners like West Indian Lance Gibbs, India’s Harbhajan Singh and Pakistan’s Saqlain Mushtaq.

“I like to look at the way they bowled and I learn from them,” he said. It was from repeatedly watching film of the off spinners that he picked up how to drift the ball slightly away from the batsmen.

Ghous, who moved to the US with his family in 2001 from Lahore, Pakistan, says he does not try to spin the ball much, but adds he can when he needs to. He concentrates mainly on a good line and length and let batsmen make mistakes.

An accountancy student, who also has a part time job in a pharmacy to help him get through college, he likes to mix his deliveries just like Singh, Mushtaq and Gibbs and other spinning greats used to.

“I try to confuse the batsmen,” said Ghous. “I try to drift the ball a little away from the batsmen.”

When he has the ball he enjoys playing a type of cat and mouse game with the batsmen. It is a battle of the minds as well as spin, line and length and disguising the drift of the ball.

Ghous somehow finds time to practice three or four times a week for 40 minutes even though he plays with two clubs, attends college and works part time.

It is all part of his long range plan to be a better bowler and, hopefully, play at the game’s highest level and against the world’s best.

Ghous’s practice routine is basic and simple. He bowls in the backyard of his family home on concrete and if he is trying out a new method to deliver a ball he first tests himself out by using a tennis ball. Then when he masters it he uses the hard ball.

Despite all his potential and ability, he is not a one-man band. He talks about how Lambert has helped him with the finer points of the game and how Steve Massiah, the US senior captain, has also contributed with advice and boosting his confidence.

“I am the youngest player in the team and all the players have helped me with advice. It is great and I appreciate it,” said Ghous.

As a batsman, Lambert described Ghous as “very organized, free scoring and has a good head. I am very impressed with him because he reads the game well. I like his composure and he will back himself.”

There is, however, a weakness to Ghous. He has a problem when he throws the ball from the deep, but when he fields close to the wicket he looks at ease.

It is something that Ghous is working on and will try to correct.

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