Cricket Council USA adds to governing body conundrum

Former USACA presidential candidate Mahammad Qureshi has made the initial steps towards the creation of another governing body to rival both the USA Cricket Association and the American Cricket Federation. Qureshi, the chief executive and founder of Cricket Council USA, announced the appointment of six CCUSA regional directors on Tuesday, including several former USACA administrators.

CCUSA officially classifies itself as a "sports and entertainment management organization" with its annual US Open T20 tournament held in Florida every December since 2008 for a cash purse ranging from $50,000 to $100,000. The announcement of eight regional bodies modelled on USACA's eight administrative regions, followed by the appointment of the six regional directors, appears to be a thinly-disguised move at posing a challenge to USACA's status as the ICC's officially recognised national governing body in the USA.

"CCUSA has always been determined to be a leader in player development, and all the affiliated regions share that vision," Qureshi said in a press release on Tuesday. "We're thrilled to work together to enhance the future of cricket in United States of America and build a pathway to a national team success at world stage."

Among the appointees announced are former longtime USACA board member Krish Prasad from New York, former USACA South East Regional administrator and current South Florida Cricket Alliance president Melton Taylor, former USACA Central West regional director Mustafa Hemani from Texas and former USACA selector Dawood Ahmed from Washington, D.C. Crucially, though, from a governance standpoint, CCUSA has no constitution and no annual general meeting with an election to decide these positions, which are ICC requirements.

"The Regional Directors for Cricket Council USA were offered the position based on their achievements relating to cricket throughout the years," Sofian Qamar, CCUSA's vice-president of operations, told ESPNcricinfo via e-mail when asked about the appointment process for the regional directors.

CCUSA's business affairs have had ties with controversial figures in recent years. Banned Pakistan player Danish Kaneria was allowed to play at the 2013 US Open T20. Former CCUSA vice-president and US Open T20 tournament director Jeff Miller - who ran the US Open T20 tournament in 2010, 2011 and 2013 - pleaded guilty last summer in Florida to a second-degree felony charge of grand theft relating to an initial arrest on felony mortgage fraud charges in 2009.

Florida-based Qureshi, who ran unsuccessfully for executive board positions in the last three USACA elections - including two failed presidential runs against Gladstone Dainty in 2008 and 2012 - filed for Chapter 11 personal bankruptcy in 2011 with more than $30 million in debts at the time, according to local Florida media reports. However, CCUSA's tournaments have continued to draw consistent interest and participation from clubs all around the country and Qureshi maintains a loyal following.

Notably, the language in CCUSA's recent releases has put extra emphasis on their role in the development of cricket through the hosting and management of various T20 tournaments around the country. The ICC changed the language in its Associate membership criteria in January so that its member governing body no longer has to be the "sole" governing body in the country but rather the governing body that is responsible for the "administration, management and development of cricket in the country."

In the absence of a letter from the country's national olympic committee certifying it as the recognised governing body, the ICC maintains discretion to make a final judgment. ICC chief executive David Richardson recently told ESPNcricinfo though that the ICC viewpoint is that all factions must come together in order for cricket to move forward in the USA rather than the ICC choosing between the USACA, ACF or a third party such as CCUSA.