USACA cancels WT20 Qualifier preparation camps

The USA Cricket Association confirmed the cancellation of pre-tournament preparation camps for both the men's and Under-19 teams. The camps were due to be held later this month ahead of the squads' participation in the World T20 Qualifier and U-19 Americas Division One Qualifier respectively.

Owen Grey, vice-president and director of player operations of USACA, said that in the end it came down to a lack of finances. "Sponsors haven't fulfilled their obligations since releasing the calendar back in February," Grey told ESPNcricinfo.

In February, just prior to USACA's general elections, the board had announced camps for the senior team to be held from April 23 to 25 in Jamaica ahead of May's ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 tournament in Indianapolis. Another camp was scheduled initially for June 26 to 28 in Jamaica, then moved to June 19 to 21 for the men's team prior to leaving for the World T20 Qualifier in Ireland next month. The U-19 squad was due to play three games against a New York Region U-23 team from June 26 to 28 in New York before the U-19 Qualifier in Bermuda.

"Players aren't willing to lose income from their job for camps and training sessions without equal compensation," Grey said. "To sum it up it's a problem with resources and commitment."

Despite Grey's statement, five USA players arranged for their own flights and hotel accommodations to attend a week-long camp in Barbados from June 15 with the Barbados Tridents. They received an invitation from Robin Singh with coordination from former USA team manager Shoaib Ahmed. The opportunity was arranged at short notice with several players personally securing help from benefactors to defray the costs without financial assistance from the USACA.

Several USA squad players, who were not part of the Tridents camp, have told ESPNcricinfo they would have paid on their own to get there had they known about it because they are eager for preparation that USACA had not organised for ahead of the World T20 Qualifier. However, they did not receive invitations and only found out about the Tridents camp after their USA team-mates started posting pictures from Barbados on social media.

In a phone call with ESPNcricinfo, Grey also stated that USACA had decided it would be more cost efficient to send the players over to Ireland a week early to get acclimatised to conditions ahead of their first match on July 10, rather than spend extra money on a weekend camp elsewhere. USA's players will depart for Dublin to arrive on July 3, the same scheduled arrival date arranged by the ICC for all teams competing at the World T20 Qualifier.