Opponents question Dainty's explanations

Several leading figures in the dispute which has thrust US cricket into turmoil have challenge comments made by Gladstone Dainty, the USA Cricket Association's chairman, in an exclusive interview last week on Cricinfo.

A number of Dainty's responses were questioned, none more so than his claims that a number of winning candidates in the recent board election were disqualified because they had not submitted paperwork and payments on time. Opponents of Dainty claim that some candidates, who won their region polls, were subsequently illegally disqualified on what they insist was a bogus technicality of not submitting background checks and a $15 administration payment on time.

Polam Reddy, the newly-elected chairman of the Council of League Presidents (CLP), told Cricinfo that he did submit his documentation and payment before the deadline. "I faxed, mailed and even left a telephone message to the treasurer that I had done so," he said. "And on top of that they even cashed my check ... once they cashed it, they endorsed my application."

That claim is supported by Laks Sampath, a director for the North West region, who added that all three individuals disqualified - Nafis Ahmad and Prosanta Guha were the others - had met the deadlines and had their checks banked by the USACA. Even Selwyn Caesar, the board's treasurer, confirmed that the faxed applications had been received within the deadline. "Does the cashing of the check indicate acceptance of candidacy?" Sampath said. "We believe so, and would think an arbitrator would too."

There is also additional doubt over the closing date by which the applications and payments should have been made. Dainty claimed that the closing deadline was February 9 (all the above three disqualified candidates claim they sent their documentation by February 8 anyway). But the form was only published on the USACA website on February 3, and four days later Caesar admitted that the deadline should be extended to February 10. On February 9, Caesar himself confirmed that the faxes had been received, although the original documents had not. There were also claims that some candidates were not made aware of the need for the extra procedures until the very last minute.

The state of the USACA's finances - described by Dainty as "healthy" - is also queried, as is his claim that the board's books have always been available for inspection but that "no member club has made a request" to examine them.

"As the duly elected Director from the North West I have personally requested for itemised statements of each and every expense that was reported in the last financial statement," countered Sampath. "To date I have not received even a courtesy response."

There is also confusion surrounding the CLP. At a meeting in April, 19 of the 26 league presidents who attended unanimously endorsed Reddy as its new chairman, replacing Michael Dupigny. That should entitle him to an ex offio position on the USACA executive board, but Dainty has refused to accept the decision on the grounds that Reddy should not have been allowed to stand as he had already been disqualified from office by the USACA.

Reddy countered that he was democratically chosen and that who is elected chairman is not down to Dainty. But, as things stand, Dainty still regards Dupigny as the CLP's representative on the UCACA executive. That one extra vote is crucial to him retaining a working majority.