Project USA: ICC to unveil details today

Fears that the ICC will abandon its Project USA - the plan to raise the profile of cricket in America - after the ousting of Dr Atul Rai, the former United States Cricket Association president, will be allayed when the ICC unveils its plans to associate members today.

Although Dr Rai was pivotal in attracting the support of Malcolm Speed, the ICC's chief executive, to the project in the first place, there are two reasons why the ICC will proceed. Unlike FIFA, the proactive governing body of world football, the ICC traditionally avoids being seen to play favourites in any member nation's internal workings, so will continue as though no changes in administration have happened. Secondly it knows that once the ICC-appointed chief executive of Project USA is placed, its interests will be safeguarded.

Some details of Project USA have already been released, but some facets may surprise. The ICC is not guaranteeing the United States direct entry to the 2007 World Cup, but will make every attempt to ensure they qualify. "The ICC wants the USA to qualify and play well," said a well-placed source. "To ensure this it will bring in quality players who can add depth and experience."

Another source suggested that the ICC will ensure that the players are recruited in time for them to meet the ICC's stringent residential-qualification rules.

Florida is the strong favourite to stage matches, for climatic reasons - the tournament is scheduled to be played in April 2007, thus ruling out Toronto and New York. However, the matches will not, as previously suggested, take place at the DisneyWorld complex in Orlando. DisneyWorld is out of the loop as its parent company is a commercial rival of the Global Cricket Corporation, which holds all the rights for World Cup telecasts. Our main source also suggested that Disney had proved intractable: "It's not prepared to negotiate terms."

A number of private bidders are ready to build stadia and pitches, but a group headed by Lance Gibbs, the former West Indian Test offspinner, is seen as the front-runner. Gibbs's group has the financial backing of the City of Lauderhill, just west of Fort Lauderdale in Florida, and hopes to host two of the World Cup matches.