USA development gets ICC support

The International Cricket Council has announced that it will oversee the appointment of a CEO for the United States Cricket Association.

The news comes of the back of plans to organise a multi-national one-day tournament in the USA. The proceeds of the event would go towards furthering the development of the game in the country.

"There is no suggestion that cricket is trying to take on the major American team sports in their own back yard," Malcolm Speed, the ICC's chief executive, said in a statement. "There are already over 500 active cricket clubs in the USA and the aim of this project is to build on this solid foundation to help increase the reach of the sport. The plan is to focus on developing cricket as a successful niche sport in a substantial market."

Earlier this month, the USA team won the Six Nations Challenge in the United Arab Emirates and so qualified for this September's ICC Champions Trophy in England.

The USA has also been proposed as a possible venue to stage games during the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.