USYCA membership keeps rolling along and growing

Jamie Harrison, the United States Youth Cricket Association president, said months ago that his organization would grow as it helped to promote and grow cricket from the grassroots level.

USYCA has not let the grass under its feet grow during winter as its team has grown rapidly. The most recent is the Cricket Association of Nebraska (CAN).

CAN, which sounds like a political slogan, was established last year with a charter to promote and develop the game in the Midwest region. It believes that development process must start at the grassroots level through the development of youth cricket in the local schools.

To accomplish this, CAN has promoted cricket to youth within its community through a series of demonstrations in schools and cricket camps.

In the past year CAN has organized several junior cricket camps for students at Beveridge Magnet Middle School in Omaha, Nebraska, under the guidance of a certified level II coach, Deepali Rokade.

CAN has also conducted many cricket demonstrations at multiple Magnet centers within the Omaha public schools system.

This year CAN and the Omaha Public Schools Magnet system have unveiled plans to organize a youth tournament and further expand the cricket demonstrations program in the Omaha public schools system.

 “The partnership with USYCA is a continuation of our vision to promote and market cricket to the younger generation,” said Dr. C.S. Manish, President of CAN.

 “We are very excited about the various USYCA initiatives, especially the USYCA Schools Program, which will help provide schools with the necessary equipment and resources to encourage them to add cricket to their standard curriculum. This is the best way to gain local acceptance for the sport we love.

“I would like to take this opportunity to commend Jamie Harrison and the USYCA for their enthusiasm and vision for developing cricket at the grassroots level in the United States.”

Harrison said: “USYCA is very excited to have as a member such an active and engaged organization as the Cricket Association of Nebraska.

“Building on the youth cricket foundation already there, we look forward to spreading our game throughout the region.”

In addition to the junior development program, CAN’s adult team will take part in the Heartland Cricket League as the Nebraska Cricket Club team.

The club’s youth cricket, adult cricket team, and outreach activities are funded by its members and through advertising and fund-raiser revenue from the local community in Omaha.

The club’s 2010 fund-raising activity generated revenue in excess of $9,000 for the fiscal year. This revenue was in addition to the club’s membership dues and other income streams.

Midwest Conference joins expanding USYCA

The Midwest Cricket Conference, one of the oldest and largest cricket leagues in the United States, has become an associate member of the rapidly growing United States Youth Cricket association.

The move was announced by the USYCA president, Jamie Harrison.

The Midwest Cricket Conference was established in 1965 and is made up of teams from Chicago, Peoria, Milwaukee, Madison and St. Louis. The league has grown from 12 teams in 1995 to more than 47 in 2004.

For years it has worked to introduce the game to new groups and youth and form a foundation for cricket to grow.

“To develop cricket in America and other cricket developing nations, the key is to penetrate into the grassroots levels of education,” said Shekhs Aravind, President of the Midwest Cricket Conference.

 “The game needs to be introduced in school and park districts, so that it develops into a more popular game, beyond the box of an immigrant game status. For this, each cricket league and region should work with individual cities, park districts and school districts to involve these institutions in developing interest among our youth.

“It is my dream, and a key point on my agenda, to develop the great game of cricket in this region. It’s one thing to run a cricket league for all of the interested folks in the area, but the most important point is to develop the game at the grassroots level, so that this game will be embraced by all Americans, just not the immigrants.”

“USYCA couldn’t be happier to have the Midwest Cricket Conference on board,” said USYCA President Jamie Harrison. “Shekhs and his team lead an impressive organization, representing hundreds of cricketers, and we’re honored that they have chosen to work with USYCA to take our great game to young people in the Midwest.”

Wicketkeeper Ian Carlin wins national college award and makes history

It wasn’t long ago that Ian Carlin was a running back and full back at high school and college football. At 5.10 ½ and 228 lbs he was the right size to try to run the ball through defenses.

Carlin, 22, who is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, had football in his blood and Pennsylvania is the home of National Football League Hall of Fame quarterbacks Joe Montana (San Francisco 49ers), Joe Namath (New York Jets), Jim Kelly (Buffalo Bills) and Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins).

Then about 18 months ago he began watching on TV the 20/20 cricket series between India and Pakistan with some of his south Asian friends at the College of Wooster in Ohio where he is a double major in political science and philosophy.

The game caught his eye and he became interested in playing. He was a fast learner.

In an interview with cricketusamag.com, Carlin said he began playing as a wicketkeeper “because I like being involved in the game with every ball.”

Carlin, a right hander, bats at the important No. 4 position. He quickly took to the game and has an affinity with the Australian international players because of their high quality fielding.

He has also closely watched the style of former Australian wicketkeepers Adam Gilchrist and Ian Healy.

Gilchrist recently retired after a very successful  international  and Test career with the gloves and bat.

“I like to watch Healy because he had a hard working ethic. He worked very hard and was consistently drilling,” said Carlin.

Carlin, a tireless worker himself, improved rapidly as a ‘keeper and batsman and a few weeks ago he won the inaugural John Bart King Award for the best American-born cricketer in college competition. He won it primarily for his wicketkeeping.

Winning an award is always special for all athletes, but it adds significance when he or she is the first to win it.

“I’ll be remembered in history forever,” Carlin joked.

On a more serious note he is hoping to play cricket on a national level as soon as possible and is now seeking help to get high level coaching from US men’s senior coach Clayton Lambert and assistance  from senior US Cricket Association officials, including secretary John Aarons.

USACA officials look at Carlin as a trail blazer for American cricket because he was born on US soil and most of the players are from India, Pakistan, the West Indies and cricket playing countries like Australia, England and South Africa.

The more US-born players begin playing the game the better it is for the growth and advancement of cricket in America.

Carlin said: “I like the energy and passion about the game. They are the same reasons why I like soccer. It is a game that unfolds in front of you. You can see it how it keeps evolving. It is a real to and fro in the game.”

He says he sees a future for cricket in the US in the 20/20 competition and possibly the 50-over game.

Most officials at the national level see the future of the game in limited over cricket, particularly the 20/20 competition. It is a quick flowing game with batsmen slogging at the ball and a result is always achieved.

A five-day Test match is something that has to be worked on. Right now it is on hold.

US team hurts after dismal Div Three series and seeks new recipe for success.

The United States cricket team is still bleeding and hurting after a disappointing International Cricket Conference Division Three tournament where it finished last. Its head might be bloodied, but it is not bowed, as the saying goes.

While the players are sadly reflecting on their performances in the tournament and their slide to the ICC’s Division Four, the wheels are already in motion to try to make fresh adjustments to improve the team.

US senior coach Clayton Lambert told CricketUSAmag.com in an interview that a look at the team should begin from “ground zero.”

Lambert, a former Test and first class player with the West Indies, has sent in his report to the US Cricket Association central administration. In it, he strongly suggests that the senior team and Under 19 teams, the future international players, had to improve their fielding.

He described the US fielding as sub standard and said this defensive side of the game was just as important as batting and bowling.

Lambert also said that the fitness of players had deteriorated in the past two years. He said the players usually performed well in the first day of a tournament, but on the second day “we could be taken by anybody.”

“The players were tired in the legs,” he said.

Lambert also called for more turf wickets so players, who usually perform on matting, could get used to turf pitches, which all the major cricket playing countries already play on.

“We need the experience to play on turf and to learn more about the different turf pitches,” he said.

Lambert said it was crucial that the US senior and under 19 teams had to play more against a better competition.

“We really got exposed. We went into the tournament during our off season while the others were in the middle of their season,” he said. “And we played one practice game on turf. Hopefully we will benefit more from the lesson of losing.

“It comes down to how badly the players want it. You can never prepare too much for a tournament.”

Lambert again emphasized that players had to “get cricket fit” for tournaments.

“Every time we get promoted to a higher division we face a more fierce competition.

Lambert has been involved in cricket all his life and his ideas to improve cricket in the US hit the mark and now it is up to the US central administration to make the next steps.

Even players like the experienced all-rounder Aditya Thyagarajan is thinking the same way as Lambert.

Thyagarajan was bitterly disappointed with the team’s performance and missing the opportunity to advance to Division Two and instead dropping to Division Four in the ICC.

He said in an interview with CricketUSAmag.com:  “We went into the tournament as favorites and it was very disappointing for us to finish last. Even worse for me personally to watch this from the sidelines.

“I think our batters let us down. We have time and again been in tricky situations due to the inconsistency in our lineup and this time we just couldn’t pull it off against more consistent bowling line ups.

“We need to improve on our overall game. Our focus needs to be to improve our fielding. Our bowling is good. The batsmen need to be more patient and put a price on their wicket. Teams make us work hard to get their wickets and we should be doing the same when we go out.

“From an organization stand point, we definitely need more camps, tours and friendly series with different nations. The teams which ended up on the top and are on their way to Div 2 have A teams, regular camps and tours.

“It will be interesting to see what the USA cricket administrators do to strengthen our team. We need a combination of youth and experience to be able to challenge teams and also nurture talent for the future.

“Going down to Div 4 is not the end of the world. We need to have a strong couple of years and we can come back to Div 1 in 2013. But, what I know for sure is – Div 4 and Div 3 will be extremely difficult as most countries now are very serious and are planning hard for these tournaments.”

Australian National Fielding Coach Mike Young Stands Up For USYCA

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL FIELDING COACH MIKE YOUNG STANDS UP FOR USYCA

 Michael Young, fielding coach for the Australian national cricket team, and the only American to be employed at the top levels of international cricket, has announced his enthusiastic support for the United States Youth Cricket Association. The announcement was made on 14 January in Melbourne, where the Aussies were preparing to take on England in a Twenty20 contest.

 Young, a former baseball player and minor league coach in the United States, came to Australia in 1981, leading Queensland to their first-ever Claxton Shield Title, and became the State Director of Coaching for baseball.  His success coaching Australia’s baseball team in the Olympics led him to be named International Baseball Coach of the Year on multiple occasions before he accepted a position with Cricket Australia in 2000.

 Hailed by skipper Adam Gilchrist as the “secret weapon” in Australia’s 2003 World Cup win, Young has consistently demonstrated the relationship between fundamental skills in the two sports, which is key if Americans are to be easily drawn toward the playing of cricket.

 “Baseball is similar to cricket in many ways,” Young said. “What works in one you implement in the other.”

 In expressing his support for USYCA, Young noted the critical importance of introducing American children to cricket at an early age.

 “Children playing any sport are always a fantastic endeavor and the USYCA is doing a terrific job at expanding on that philosophy,” Young said. “The beauty of cricket also is that it can be played by all ages and both genders. It’s an international sport which undoubtedly will one day be an Olympic Sport to go along with it’s already star status of being one of the most prolific professional sports in the world.”

 The USYCA Schools Program donates cricket equipment and instruction to schools and community organizations without condition or requirements. In the past three months, USYCA has initiated cricket programs in 75 American schools, representing over 15,000 children. Young believes that the USYCA approach has a high probability of success, and wants to see it expanded and adopted throughout the States.

 “The long-term viability with all sports, no matter where they’re played, is the involvement of the youth,” Young said. “Without a good fundamental base and highly planned and organised junior development, then any sport has a dim future.”

 Young also believes that, because of the tremendous potential of the American cricket market, international players, coaches and cricket bodies should rally to the mission of USYCA, as he has.

 “It’s the USA,” Young said. “Why wouldn’t world cricket based sporting bodies want the USA to be strong? It’s a no brainer. People can say whatever they want, but truth be known, if you have the USA involved in any sport, that sport’s standing will improve on numerous levels.”

 Jamie Harrison, President of USYCA, is grateful to have the endorsement of such a prominent figure in international cricket.

 “I’m pleased and honored to have Mike Young stand with USYCA as it brings cricket to American children,” Harrison said. “As the lone American in international cricket, and as someone with a background in baseball, Mike has a unique perspective on the possibilities for our great sport in the United States. The fact that he believes so strongly in what we’re doing is a great encouragement to us, and we look forward to working with him.”

Jamie Harrison
USYCA
usyouthcricket@gmail.com
http://usyca.org
443.835.0619

Triggers Cricket Club wins HCL Championship.

TCC were on the ropes after losing 4 quick wickets but brilliant contributions from Ruchir, Imran and Ashok and a late charge from Skipper Biren, Taha and OZ carried the team to 261.

HICC started badly with Taha removing both openers early. Amir Nanji played a brilliant innings to carry his team but Kiran’s hat trick removing Niraj, Prasanth and Arun Douglas sealed the game for TCC. Some brilliant catching and bowling from TCC bowlers helped them defend their score against a spirited fight back from HICC.

The nationals and honor dinner makes it a great time for Clayton Lambert, the US senior coach

This is the time of the year that United States senior cricket team coach Clayton Lambert just loves. It is the lead up to the national championships for the Under 19s and senior conferences.

Championship teams will be decided and national selectors and Lambert will get a chance to see some of the best players in the country. And it will help them decide on the squad to play in the International Cricket Committee World Cricket League Division Three Championship in Hong Kong from January 22 to 29 next year.

The selectors also will get another look at the youngsters before they name the squad for the ICC Americas Cup Under 19 World Cup qualifier.

The United States of America Cricket Association has announced that the junior nationals Under 19 will be played November 12, 13 and 14 at Ft. Lauderdale. The qualifying regions: Eastern Conference No 1 New York and No 2 South East. Western Conference: No 1 North West and No 2 South West.

 And the senior nationals Men’s Super League also will be played at Fort Lauderdale on November 19, 20 and 21. The qualifying regions: Eastern Conference No1 New York and No 2 Atlantic. The Western Conference No 1 South West and No 2 North West

 For Lambert it will be two weeks of top line cricket. But the weekend before the junior titles, the former international cricketer will be honored for his services to the game.

On November 13, Lambert has an appointment in New York when the Atlantis Cricket Club, a team he played with when he first arrived in the US from the West Indies, will be guest of honor at a dinner dance.

Each year the club honors a former West Indies player and over the years some of the greats of the game, including Clive Lloyd, Courtney Walsh and Joel Garner and many others, have been chosen to be feted by the Atlantis club.

“It is certainly an honor and a privilege to be on the some list as some of the great West Indies players. It is great to be recognized and I am excited by this,” Lambert said in an interview with cricketusamag.com. “I have quite a few memories from my days playing with the Atlantis club.”

Lambert, who played in seven test matches with the West Indies, league cricket in England and first class cricket in the West Indies and South Africa, has been the senior US team coach on a tournament basis, but recently he has become more involved with the players by helping them with their game, talking about disciplined and improving their technique.

He says he would like to see some of the senior players, including the promising Ryan Corns, to get specialized training before the ICC tournament in Hong Kong. Corns, a promising top order batsman, may need help with his slow bowling.

But Lambert, 48, understands the economic climate as the US slowly pulls out of a long and deep recession and the logistical problems of getting players together at one venue from all over the country.

Lambert will be honored at the Atlantis Cricket Club of New York Awards Dinner Dance on November 13 at John F. Kennedy Plaza Hotel, 151-20 Baisley Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11434. Music will be provided by DJ Flexx.

 Meanwhile, US senior team fast bowler and No 8 batsman Timroy Allen, who damaged a muscle around his armpit area while diving for the ball during the ICC tournament in Italy, is expected to be fit for the trip to Hong Kong.

Farokh Engineer, flamboyant, dashing, aggressive from days gone by talks cricket

In his day, Farokh Engineer, arguably one of India’s greatest wicketkeeper/batsmen, was described as dashing, flamboyant, aggressive and a self taught cricketer. He could play with the best of them and at the end of the day he could walk off the field with his head held high.

He has been compared with Australia’s legendary all-rounder Keith Miller and England’s great batsman Denis Compton because of the way he played the game.

Engineer, 72, is vice president of the Lancashire County Cricket Club and lives in Manchester, England. He is now visiting Detroit and Houston for speaking engagements, helping charities, and an opportunity to visit his daughter in Miami, Florida.

In an interview with cricketusamag.com, the former right hand opening batsman/wicketkeeper, likes what he sees as the game tries to expand in the United States and climb the International Cricket Committee ladder to play against the best countries in the world.

“There is a lot of keenness here. I think there is scope for 20/20 and one day cricket,” he said. “There is room for that type of cricket and it seems popular with the fans. Under the right conditions, I can see the game growing if you get TV involved and sponsorship.”

After many visits to the US Engineer can see and feel the interest in the game, but he also understands the economic climate as the country slowly eases out of a deep financial recession.

He also understands how the cricketers in the US play for the love of the game and as an honor to represent America at international level. He did the same when he began his 46 Tests career.

He recalled how he was paid 250 rupees to play in a Test match. In today’s professional level, that amount of money would not buy a round of drinks after a day’s play.

Engineer scored 2,611 runs with three not outs in 87 innings while representing India in Tests for an average of 31.08. He scored three centuries, 16 50s, and as a wicketkeeper he took 66 catches and 16 stumpings.

In the early 1970s his performance behind the stumps and as a batsmen were rewarded when he was named as the wicketkeeper for the Rest of the World XI series in England and Australia. He was solidly built, but he had excellent reflexes and often stood up at the wicket to fast bowlers, just like he did with spinners.

He played in an era, which produced some of the game’s greatest player like Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson, Ian and Greg Chappell, Wes Hall, Charles Griffith, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Viv Richards and Lance Gibbs,  among many others.

He was also a crowd pleaser with the bat,

On the first day of a Test match against the West Indies in Madras in 1966-67, Engineer opened the innings and hammered 94 runs in the first session in what he says was “a green top wicket.”

The first ball he faced after lunch from Gibbs, an off spinner, he straight drove the ball for a six to reach his century off just 44 deliveries.

“When I hit the six, the ball just kept going. I think it is still going,” he joked. “I don’t think they ever found the ball.”

The swashbuckling innings is still talked about by old timers and is very much a part of Test cricket folklore.

“It was a great era that I played in,” said Engineer, adding that he never worried about his batting average. It was all about winning.

His success at Test level is all the more interesting because he says he was never taught how to keep wickets or bat. “There were no training manuals then,” he said.

Engineer described himself as an aggressive wicketkeeper who “always went for any chances” offered by the batsmen. His style delighted the fans and drew respect from teammates and opponents.

As a young player he based his wicketkeeping style on Godfrey Evans, the great English ‘keeper. He watched him on film and followed the way he played.

“I learned from experience. A wicketkeeper needs to have a sixth sense and natural reflexes like a goalie in soccer or hockey,” he said.

Engineer kept wickets for India’s legendary slow bowlers Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrasekhar, who overcame polio to play the game at the highest levels, and Venkataraghavan.

“I enjoyed ‘keeping to spinners,” he said. “I had a very good rapport and understanding with Chandrasekhar. We worked together well discussing tactics.

“He was a great bowler. He was a freak and could bowl up to 80 MPH, the ball turned viciously and batsmen could not pick him. He was hard to pick, but I picked him every time.

“He was such a difficult spinner to read that 30 to 40 percent of the time I don’t think even he knew which way the ball was going to turn.”

Engineer also was comfortable with fast bowlers when he joined Lancashire and he was the gloveman for Brian Statham, Ken Shuttleworth, Peter Lever and Ken Higgs.

Engineer, a strongly built man, was not afraid of the workload after spending all day in the field to open the innings in a time when there were no restrictions to the number of bouncers bowled and protective helmets had not yet been introduced.

In fact, he says, he enjoyed the challenge of facing some of the world’s all-time great fast bowlers like Hall and Griffith. “I loved the ball coming at me at me at 100 MPH and leaving the bat at 500 MPH,” he said.

When asked about the allegations about match fixing, he said: “If it is true, then it is disgraceful and distasteful. It is harming the wonderful game of cricket. There is no space for this type of rubbish.

“The ICC has not been firm enough in this. It has pussy footed around it. The ICC should become a lot firmer about this and throw them out, if it is true.

“I feel sorry for the younger players, who may have been used by the older players.”

Engineer has a lot of stories and thoughts about cricket; unfortunately time was against him speaking longer. But like a great actor on Broadway he left us waiting for more. Hopefully, there will be another time.

Ryan Corns shows “Dramatic Improvement” in Nationals after changing his batting stance

Ryan Corns, who showed dramatic improvement at the United States national cricket championships in Los Angeles, which included a blazing 119 off just 77 deliveries, believes his new found form comes down to a new batting stance.

Corns, 20, who plays with the Memorial Cricket Club in the Houston League and represented the Central West Region in the national titles, said he changed his stance in May after he had watched New Zealand batsmen Peter Ingram and Ross Taylor Online.

Both batsmen used the wide stance technique and Corns thought he might try the same.

He did and it has worked for him.

“I was watching them play against Australia,” Corns said in an interview with cricketusamag.com. “It has helped my balance, before I used to fall over a lot while batting. It has also taken the stress off my lower back and it has relieved me of the pain.”

 file pic: courtesy ICC

Corns, a Business and Administration student at Houston Community College, said his batting had now   improved a lot and he had become more consistent.

Before he changed his batting stance, he used to place the bat behind his back foot. Now he positions the bat between his feet.

“My balance has improved tremendously,” said Corns.

In the national tournament, the right hand batsman hammered 152 in three innings with a highest score of 119 in the match against the North West Region and an average of just over 50.

Corns’ performance with the bat caught the eye of many, including US senior coach Clayton Lambert, who described his overall performance in Atlanta as: “I was amazed with his improvement. I am very happy with the way he has progressed.

“He has made a significant step up since the last time I saw him bat.”

Lambert said that Corns’ batting was of “a high quality” and added: “He has developed a lot of power, is striking the ball to all parts of the field and is hitting the ball off his front and back foot.”

Corns, who was born in South Africa, is now too old for the Under 19 national team. Asked if he felt the national selectors might name him to the senior squad, he replied: “I believe I am ready for the national side.”

While his batting probably impressed the national selectors, who are expected to name the US senior squad in November for the International Cricket Committee Division Three tournament in Hong Kong in January, his left arm spin bowling may need to improve before he gets the nod to join US senior captain Steve Massiah and the rest of the team.

Corns is focusing on his batting, but he is also aware that he might need to work more on his spin bowling. And he says he will look for help and guidance from Jermaine Levine, his Memorial Cricket Club teammate and friend.

Levine is also a left arm slow bowler and he has helped Corns in the past.

The New York Region won the Eastern Conference championship while the South West Region captured the Western Conference title. The two will battle for the national championship in either Florida or California in November.

US and India women teams in tug of war over 15-year-old girl

Shebani Bhaskar is just 15, but already she has become involved in a tug of war between the United States and India women cricket teams.

The talented youngster, who is also a handy tight arm medium pace swing bowler, has been in the sights of US senior women’s team coach Linden Fraser for several months.

Fraser believes Shebani should be representing the US even though she is still in high school.

But there is a problem with her wearing the US team’s colors. The India women’s team also wants her services.

Fraser told cricketusamag.com in an interview that Shebani is a US citizen and should be allowed to play for the red, white and blue.

He recently called her in India where she is a student and living with her family.
Shebani said in an email to cricketusamag.com that the India women’s team has not said they will not allow her to play for the US, but that the local cricket body had said there were procedures to follow.

“Shebani was born in the US and she should be allowed to play for the US women’s team,” said Fraser. “I called her to try to get her to play for the US team.”
Fraser described Shebani as a “very good player, who was good enough to play for the US team.”

He said she had the ability to play in one of the top five batting spots for the national team, which is a huge compliment for such a young player, who already has a very promising career.

Fraser has said that he would encourage the national selectors to seriously consider naming Shebani in the national senior team squad when it is chosen for next year’s qualifying tournament in Bangladesh for the 2012 World Cup in India.
He believes the 15-year-old is one of the brightest hopes for the future of US women’s cricket.

Fraser has met Shebani and has also watched her play on video.

He said Shebani recently 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.
Several years ago Shebani’s family decided to leave the US and move back to India. In June last year Shebani and her family visited friends in the US and at the time she met Fraser.

While visiting, Fraser said, she represented the North East Region in the women’s national tournament in California.

Fraser is still on a high after the US women senior team’s recent three victories against Canada in 50 over contests to qualify for next year’s tournament.

He believes the US team will be stronger and the future brighter if Shebani is allowed to represent her country. Whether she does is something that has to be decided.

Fraser said he has not given up and is still working on getting Shebani in US colors.

Next Page »