Minnesota to host large tournament

Announcements about cricket in the USA have been frequent in the past couple of years, with proposals for leagues acting as a welcome distraction to the long history of administrative problems that have blighted their development. But the USACA's Western Conference Championship, to be held in Minnesota on Sunday, is hoping to attract new players to the sport.

"This is our defining moment for cricket in Minnesota," Masaood Yunus, vice president of the Minnesota Cricket Association, told the Star Tribune. "This is something for all people to enjoy. They can actually watch cricket here rather than on television across the world."

It is the first time a major tournament like this has been hosted by Minnesota, and is the brainchild of Don Lockerbie, the chief executive of the USA Cricket Association.

"I think this sport is one of the great underground sports movements," Lockerbie said. "It's important that we continue to make the game more popular."

Lockerbie was in London last week, watching England take on Australia in the second Test at Lord's, a format that the USA can only dream of reaching. In the interim, however, Lockerbie has ambitious plans for the country, including a major Twenty20 tournament, as exclusively revealed by Cricinfo.

The Minnesota tournament will feature more than 60 players from the Midwest and West regions if America. "We've been trying to get Minnesota noticed more on the national level," said Masood Raza, one of the players.