Time running out for the old guard

Nothing like this has ever happened before in US cricket.

For the first time, an overwhelming majority of the cricket leagues in the USA met under one roof at the Best Western Hotel in Arlington, Texas and passed a series of resolutions expressing their demands on the USACA executive and board.

The fact that any such meeting took place at all was an achievement in itself. Yet there they were in Dallas - league presidents from New York, Florida, Atlanta, California, Texas, Chicago, the Pacific Northwest, and points in between, to stand up and be counted in the name of US cricket.

Even as a social gathering, the meeting would have been unique. Never have cricket leagues representing 75% of all leagues in the USA, and 84% of all 10,000+ regular US cricketers, gathered under one roof for any reason, at any time. But what the Council of League Presidents (CLP) proceeded to do was even more remarkable. They unanimously approved a series of resolutions that made it clear where they stood, and what they expected to happen in US cricket.

The CLP wasted no time in attacking the USACA's executive council, claiming it was "dysfunctional" and had "not acted in the best interests of the organization." It added that Bobby Refaie, the USACA secretary, had been suspended unconstitutionally and that the election results had been ignored. It concluded there had been "a complete absence of leadership and a sense of direction within USACA," and that financially the board was in a mess with no report or budget for two years. It demanded that the books be made available for inspection immediately.

Then the resolutions came thick and fast. The first was "a vote of no confidence... against Gladstone Dainty, the USACA president, [in executing] his duties, failure to comply with the constitution of USACA, cancellation of Project USA and consequently jeopardizing the future of cricket in America." This was followed by a second no-confidence vote against ". the members of the executive ...for poor execution of their duties." Following this was a request that "the president and executive committee members resign immediately", to save US cricket any further embarrassment.

To counter anticipated legal reaction from Dainty, the CLP then voted to appoint an attorney, and with that resolved, it took on the USACA directly by openly recognising the election of the officials who had won seats in the recent elections but had subsequently been barred by Dainty for electoral technicalities. It rubbed salt in the wound by refusing to recognise the USACA board meeting held in Florida last week on the grounds that it was unconstitutional.

The CLP then stated that a letter should be sent to the ICC stating that it had passed a no confidence motion against the current executive and that "the ICC should stop, with immediate effect, the release of any funds to the USACA." It added, rather hopefully, that the ICC should reconsider the implementation of Project USA.

Finally, the CLP requested an Extraordinary General Meeting of the CLP be called to discuss and approve all the issues raised.

Shortly afterwards, a rival USACA board, containing some members barred by Dainty, met. Although this was labeled as "illegal" by the USACA, its importance is growing by the day, and recognition by the CLP gave it another boost.