Abuse flies in battle for control of USACA

The battle for control of the US cricket administration was always likely to turn really ugly following the cancellation of Project USA, and it seems that the gloves are now well and truly off.

In one corner, Gladstone Dainty and his existing USA Cricket Association elite; in the other, the swelling ranks of the clubs and regional bodies who have had enough.

What triggered an escalation in the hostilities was the announcement earlier this week by Polam Reddy, president of the Southern California Cricket Association, of a meeting caled by the Council of League Presidents (which is made up of the 25-odd cricket leagues that constitute the bulk of USACA membership) next month in Dallas to discuss the future of cricket in the USA. That struck a nerve with Dainty.

Cricinfo has been given details of a remarkable telephone conversation yesterday between Dainty and Reddy in which there was little attempt to disguise the level of animosity between the pair. Dainty was livid that the meeting had been called, claimed that Reddy had no authority and also tried to maintain that Reddy's recent election had been blocked by the USACA. In an email circulated to the USACA, Reddy said the conversation ended with Dainty threatening to "destroy me for not respecting his position."

The president of the North Texas Cricket Association and the USACA regional director of the Central East Region have informed Dainty that they are the co-sponsors of the Dallas meeting on April 16. Furthermore, they have stated that any action on Dainty's part to interfere with the proceedings would be viewed with the greatest concern and would immediately lead to criminal proceedings against him. They are also telling him that the authorities in Dallas had been informed about Dainty's threat, and would be prepared to take any needed action to allow the proceedings to go on undisturbed.

"If Dainty is there we will ask him one question," Reddy said in an email. "Only one. We will ask him to tell us, in one sentence, what positive thing he has ever done for US cricket. After the long period of silence which will follow our question, we then, as courteously as possible, ask him for his resignation then and there."

The Dallas meeting has been given the blessing of Bobby Refaie, who himself is at the centre of the storm after being suspended as USACA secretary by Dainty. In a letter to CLP members, Refaie said that it was time for everyone to unite to take cricket in the US forward. "It is your clubs that are the real members of this organization, not the USACA executives or board of directors," he said. "You and your member clubs are the ones that stand to gain or lose by what is done in your name."

The continuing lack of any action from the USACA to what was an entirely avoidable situation appears to be hastening the enforced departure of Dainty and his associates. It is bewildering that they appear to want to remain after all the highly personal criticism that has been hurled in their direction and their apparent unwillingness to face the crisis.

Although Project USA is dead, there are still large ICC development grants up for grabs but they will not even be considered while the present regime remains in place. Nothing can change until there is change within the USA. And surely, now that's just a matter of time?