In a desperate bid to obtain ODI status, cricket’s governing body in the United States of America, USA Cricket, has begun a recruitment drive to enlist overseas players from around the world.
It is being done with USA Cricket’s commercial partner American Cricket Enterprises (ACE) to entice the overseas professionals into its minor and major League set-ups that will eventually qualify them through a three-year residency to play for the USA in one-day Internationals.
Former New Zealand allrounder Corey Anderson and Pakistan batsman Sami Aslam are reported to be among a host of would-be recruits lined up while plans are also underway to recruit England fast bowler Liam Plunket.
Anderson has not been picked for New Zealand in more than two years and has spent most of his time in Texas, where his fiancée is based according to a report.
Cricket USA has also targeted young South African players who could earn 100,000 US dollars a year nearly Rs. 20 million in Sri Lanka money. Uncapped players from the West Indies and Australia have also joined the USA League.
League cricket in the USA has reportedly received a boost by way of interest shown by the owners of the Indian IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders who are willing to invest money.
“It’s about the long-term sustainability of developing the sport in this country,” USA Cricket CEO Iain Higgins told ESPNcricinfo earlier this year.
His hope is that cricket in the USA spearheaded by foreing players will eventually pave the way for home born players.
“We want to qualify for World T20s, we want to qualify for World Cups. Sometimes those will be people who have come through the US and sometimes those will be people that come into the team because they have a passport or have qualified on residency grounds. But we want the USA team to be in the forefront of the international cricketing community’s minds,” said Higgins.
Sameer Mehta, ACE co-founder said: “I think we’ll be in the unique place where we’ll have international-quality cricketers who will relocate to the US and play in our local leagues and be part of the fabric of the local community.”