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USA CRICKET ANNUAL REPORT 2020 02 C H A I R M A N ' S R E P O R T

On behalf of the USA Cricket Board of Many of those developments are Directors, I am pleased to present USA described in this report, but I wanted to Cricket’s Annual Report for 2020. highlight the following exciting activities The COVID pandemic meant that it was a that we were involved in during 2020 and year unlike any other and this presented a which continue into 2021, each of which range of operational, safety and financial have the potential to significantly challenges that sporting organizations accelerate our journey: have never faced before. We worked together with our In spite of those challenges, I am very colleagues at in pleased with the amount of progress that order to formally express interest in we have been able to make throughout hosting future major ICC events in the the year. And although we have had less next rights cycle (2023-2031), and we domestic and international cricketing are optimistic about the prospect of activity that we would have liked, we have securing such events when they are taken many significant steps forward in allocated later in 2021. our efforts to lay a platform for the future growth of cricket in this country. We have been working closely with the ICC in order to explore the prospect of The publication of our Foundational Plan cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic in October is probably the most important Games in . That work will piece of work that we were able to continue during 2021 and we are complete during the year. It will underpin optimistic that alignment is beginning and direct all of our decision making going to take place and that we will have a forward and sets a clear vision for cricket central role to play in moving that to become a mainstream sport in the USA aspiration forward. and for USA Cricket to become a Full Member of the ICC by 2030.

The first three years of that journey are all about laying a platform for future growth, and we have continued throughout 2020 to put the building blocks in place to enable the full realization of the potential for cricket in America.

USA CRICKET ANNUAL REPORT 2020 03 We helped our partners at Major League ..as well as our management team led by Cricket to secure Grand Prairie stadium in our Chief Executive, Iain Higgins, and the , which is likely to become the future wide network of partners and volunteers home of USA Cricket and a High- across the USA. Performance Centre; and we will continue to provide with I would like to finish by paying tribute to additional support in their efforts to secure everyone in the wider American cricket similar facilities during 2021 as they community, who have been a fantastic develop the much-needed cricketing support to us all through these difficult infrastructure that will help to support a times. professional domestic T20 tournament. On behalf of the USA Cricket Board, our In line with our strategic focus areas on sincere thanks go to you all for your women/girls and youth, we secured the ongoing assistance in sustaining the sport hosting rights to two of the ICC’s Regional across America during one of the toughest Pathway Events to be held in the summer times that the sport will ever have to of 2021. endure. Our league, clubs and academies wouldn’t exist without your passion, We look forward to progress on all of these commitment and love for the game, and we initiatives during 2021, confident that USA look forward to nurturing and supporting Cricket is well placed to effectively support you all in 2021 as cricket starts to return. them and capitalize on them as they materialize. I now invite you to read and enjoy the content of our 2020 Annual Report! The progress that is outlined in this report wouldn’t have been possible without the huge amount of time, effort and leadership shown by each of my fellow directors on our Board.. PARAAG MARATHE USA CRICKET CHAIRMAN

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..on player contracts all acknowledging the 2020 was a year with unprecedented reduced level of cricketing activity and future challenges for the world, and the COVID financial uncertainty that the sport was facing pandemic presented significant challenges for globally. USA Cricket, with very little domestic and international cricket possible on the field-of- During this period we also restructured the play and calendars, budgets and activity plans governance model of USA Cricket, appointing constantly being postponed and revised. a brand-new set of Committees and allocating their responsibilities across the evolving Travel and other restrictions created barriers Foundational Plan. We were also able to to zonal and national team training and complete various structural, planning and competition, whilst social distancing and other research efforts that were needed so that we measures designed to protect the public’s were better equipped and in position to be health created barriers for cricket to continue able to operate more effectively as soon as the in schools, communities and at a local level time came. generally. All of this needed cautionary and careful scenario planning and management off Pleasingly, the final quarter of 2020 saw an the field of play, which was extremely increased level of operational activity to build frustrating for us all. on that planning effort and some significant developments were released in the form of the But in many ways, freedom from delivering a launch of the Foundational Plan, the raft of cricketing outcomes for this period establishing of Cricket, and the allowed us to spend time focusing on laying securing of a cricket specific venue at Grand the foundations that were much needed, and Prairie, Texas. which will stand us in much better shape as cricket returns in 2021 and we seek to meet There are a number of things we highlight in the high expectations demanded by a starved this Annual Report, but the most important cricketing community. was the launch of our Foundational Plan in September. The five strategic objectives set 2020 is certainly a year that none of us will out within the plan will be the driving force ever forget, but I believe USA Cricket emerges behind all of our major decisions moving from it in a strong position and further down forward and, if we can continue to make the path towards realizing some of the progress across all of those, we believe will set potential that exists for growth in the United us on the path towards achieving our vision of States. making cricket a mainstream sport in the USA whilst achieving Full Member status within the We spent the first three-quarters of 2020 ICC. understanding and readjusting to COVID, with the imposition of recruitment freezes, salary A progress report of our achievements during cuts for staff and reduced expenditure... 2020 against each of those strategic objectives can be found below:

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Later sections in this report expand on the With these challenges firmly behind us, and progress made on the field to improve the the early success with the membership model, performance of the national teams and to we appear well set to finally bring together the increase participation levels and to engage entire cricket community. more people with the sport at all levels. However, it’s worth noting that significant We have made significant efforts to publish a strides forward were also made on two of the large volume of updates, media releases, blogs other strategic objectives (building trust in the and communications at regular intervals community and operating in a sustainable throughout 2020, in order to ensure that manner), as well as in building the critical there was regular communications and support environment. updates from USA Cricket to the community. We saw record interaction levels on USA B U I L D I N G T R U S T I N Cricket’s social media channels with those communications and we were delighted to be T H E C O M M U N I T Y acknowledged for our innovation as the Regional Winner of the ICC Development Following a tender process in 2020, a Awards 2020 for the ICC Digital Fan technology company was appointed to Engagement of the Year. develop a bespoke membership portal. A huge amount of time and effort went into the We look forward to increasing the levels of development of that portal in the latter half of communication yet further, especially 2020 which we believe, in time, will help to following the Board’s acknowledgement at the bring together the entire US cricket end of 2020 of the requirement to publish community. Board minutes on the USA Cricket website, which will be actioned imminently. The portal was finalized at the very end of 2020 and launched in January 2021, and we In addition, the fun, engaging #TrainAtHome were delighted that approximately 20,000 campaign focused on the best of the Team individuals have now registered within the USA players & support staff bringing simple, system. The ‘Introductory’ membership effective cricket skills-based drills to the package and cost structure for 2021 reflects homes of fans to encourage them to keep USA Cricket’s desire to be sympathetic to the active whilst staying safe during lockdown. financial and logistical challenges faced by And we developed return to play and train cricket communities across the country during COVID guidelines to help spread best practice 2020 as well as the need to be as inclusive as within the cricket community to assist them all possible at an important time. with a safe return to the sport if and when they were able to do so in 2020. We are delighted with this response and look forward to building on the new relationships One of the consistent talking points during with Leagues, Clubs and Academies across the 2020 has been to explain the scope of the USA country that have developed throughout this Cricket / Major League Cricket partnership, process, and to establishing the first and why it should be welcomed by the entire membership of the Leagues Committee. cricket community and anybody with a genuine interest in growing the game within USA Cricket’s position as the official this country. governing body and its actions in managing the tender process which resulted in the appointment of Major League Cricket were both independently validated in 2020 with motions to dismiss being awarded in respect of a claim brought by a rival bidder in respect of the tender process, as well as in relation to a claim brought by former USACA directors against the ICC.

USA CRICKET ANNUAL REPORT 2020 07 The partnership has already resulted in the These developments by and within Major delivery of the Minor League Exhibition League Cricket serve to underline that the Matches in 2020, and the announcement of optimism is well placed. a new world class cricketing venue in Grand Prairie, Texas, which will be repurposed However, we remain extremely conscious of under the guidance of internationally the need to do a better job of communicating renowned design firm HKS and will open in the full scope of the deal that has been struck 2022. with Major League Cricket.

In addition, we were pleased to announce To that end, for most of 2020 we have been the exciting news of The Knight Riders negotiating the details of a long-form Group agreeing to a major investment in partnership agreement which builds on the American cricket through its partnership terms that were agreed at the conclusion of with Major League Cricket, as well as the full the tender process in 2019. Given the slate of founding investors in Major League challenges faced in this country and the Cricket which is an all-star roster of leading complexity of the deal, it has taken a long business executives and successful time to reach its conclusion, but we are entrepreneurs who have been involved with looking forward to presenting the scope and some of the world’s most well-respected benefits of the USA Cricket / Major League companies. partnership agreement in great detail at the upcoming AGM and on our website One of the reasons why there is such thereafter. optimism around the ability of USA Cricket to drive positive growth in the sport at this time is because of the quality and support of the various partners that are being assembled and the depth of support from the ICC and the international cricketing community.

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USA CRICKET ANNUAL REPORT 2020 08 There is no doubt that the ongoing issues the O P E R A T I N G I N A COVID pandemic is causing around the S U S T A I N A B L E M A N N E R cricketing world will make the coming months and years somewhat uncertain on the Financially, I'm pleased to report that USA international cricket front. However, the Cricket closed 2020 in a more solid financial reopening of much of society here in position than it had at the end of 2019. America gives us an opportunity to focus on Despite our lofty ambitions, we have placed the development of our domestic pathway great importance on ensuring that USA and training structures for men, women and Cricket operates in a financially responsible youth, with lots to look forward to as we manner, and, various steps were taken in develop our zonal coaching hubs and facility 2020 to freeze recruitment and cut costs in partners, as well as the first full season of order to ensure that we could preserve cash Minor League Cricket and the establishment within the business whilst the future of a new domestic structure for women. cricketing calendar, commitments and revenue remained uncertain. I believe that through responsible decision making by the Board, we have managed to During 2020 we received an unqualified ride the storm of the pandemic as best we audit of our 2019 Annual Financial could, and I would like to pay a special thanks Statements and published them along with to the wider American cricket community our 2019 Tax Return; we spent many hours who have been magnificent in their support reforecasting against alternative cricketing of the direction we are taking the sport in calendars, and, we commenced an audit of all and the patience that they have displayed in assets so that we can start to consider how the face of the most frustrating of years. to effectively commercially exploit all of the available assets in order to reduce our over- I look forward to seeing you all at a cricket reliance on two key revenue streams – from ground this summer. the ICC and Major League Cricket. I look forward to being able to announce a raft of commercial deals that build on the work that has been done in that space during 2021. IAIN HIGGINS USA CRICKET CEO

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Volunteer Volunteer Zonal Youth Umpire Selection Coordinators Coordinators Panels

CRICKET STAFF

Men’s Head Coach Cricket Operations Men’s Youth Coach Director Women’s Youth Coach Development Manager Men’s and Women’s Finance Manager National Team Selectors

GOVERNANACE FRAMEWORK

Governance review Guidelines for return to Terms of Reference Manual train/play 10 formal + 8 informal Covid-19 legal waiver & Board Meetings indemnity New Committee Structure Regulations for Approval of 26 Committee Meetings Domestic Cricket Anti-Doping Code National Tournament Manual

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In October, the first ever strategic plan for USA “On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, Cricket was launched in the shape of the USA we are extremely proud to present this plan Cricket Foundational Plan 2020 – 2023, with to the entire cricket community across the the focus on building a platform to support the country and we look forward to working with future growth and success of American cricket. them to deliver on its commitments.”

The USA Cricket Foundational Plan articulates a The focus for the Foundational Plan is about long-term vision for cricket to be established as ‘Building a platform for American cricket’, a leading sport in the and USA identifying the need for progress to be made Cricket to become a Full Member of the ICC by against five key strategic objectives: growing 2030, and outlines the priority actions to be engagement; increasing participation levels; taken and initiatives to be launched through improving the performance of the US until the end of 2023. national teams; operating sustainably; and building trust across the local cricket “The launch of this Foundational Plan is the community. culmination of a lengthy but important piece of work, which now sets the roadmap for the A one-page synopsis of the Plan can be seen development of the sport in the United States here, to view in full visit www.usacricket.org. over the next few years” said USA Cricket Chairman Paraag Marathe upon the launch in October 2020.

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I M P R O V I N G T H E P E R F O R M A N C E O F N A T I O N A L T E A M S

The High-Performance side of the cricket With play on the pitch not possible for the department saw a year split in two, with the foreseeable future, the focus shifted to only international action being played prior developing the structures, staffing and to the full effects of the COVID pandemic pathways for the High-Performance taking hold, and then with all international Program for Men's, Women's and Youth and domestic cricket halted from early cricket. March onwards. In March, USA Cricket appointed a new USA Senior Men's team were the only panel of National Selectors for the USA representative team to play any Men’s National Team and a new Men’s Head international cricket in 2020. A well- Coach. Following an exhaustive search that organized preparation camp in Mumbai uncovered a number of outstanding came before the tour of Kathmandu for coaching candidates, the preferred USA's third round of the ICC Cricket World candidate, former first class Ranji Trophy Cup League 2 tri-series with hosts Nepal and IPL player and coach, J Arun and the other opponent, Oman. Kumar, was appointed.

Despite coming into the series on top of Further key appointments soon followed as the table, USA returned winless from Nepal a new panel of National Selectors for the with two close defeats in the opening two USA Women’s National Cricket Team was matches followed by two heavy defeats. announced. It is the first time that USA Team USA struggled in the spinning Cricket has had a dedicated Women’s conditions to leave with zero points from Selection Panel, completely separate and Nepal and were overtaken by Oman in the distinct from the Men’s Selection Panel, overall table. signifying the increasing importance being placed on the development of the Women’s USA Men's fourth tri-series of CWC League game. 2 was due on home soil in April but became one of the first international events to fall During the second quarter of the year, our victim to the COVID-19 outbreak. The six Men's and Women's National players all ODIs were scheduled for Fort Lauderdale began remote sessions together in training with USA, Scotland and the United Arab groups with all players established on the Emirates scheduled to take part. However, new Athlete Management System, and due to the rapidly developing health players committing to participate in a emergency, the ICC took the decision to remotely driven training program. postpone the series.

USA CRICKET ANNUAL REPORT 2020 13 The second half of the year began to present Progress in the creation of a nationwide some optimism for a return to some domestic cricketing structure was furthered with the cricketing activity under controlled conditions, naming of a new Men’s Youth Selection with a series of Minor League Cricket Franchise Panel, as well as the creation of six new Zonal Exhibition Matches giving playing opportunities Selection Panels. This was followed by the to those where local regulations permitted staging of separate Men’s and Men’s Youth matches to be played. Zonal Trials which saw more than 600 participants over 22 days at 11 venues. On the pitch, in September the Minor League Cricket Franchise Exhibition Matches saw the Two new critical coaching roles were made in very best amateur cricketers across the October, with Kevin Darlington named as the United States, as well as 36 First-Class and Men’s Youth Coach taking on the primary international players, produce competitive responsibility for coaching the USA Cricket and highly entertaining cricket without the Men’s Under 19 team and other junior teams. full travel required for a full season of Minor Asif Mujtaba was also appointed as the League Cricket. Women’s Youth Coach and will take on similar responsibilities with the Women’s This ambitious project broke new ground for Under 19 team, for which USA Cricket plans American cricket – 51 matches were played to schedule its first ever international match across 17 different venues, with 15,593 runs in 2021. scored and 657 wickets taken. Of the more than 2,400 players who registered for the In November, with COVID-19 beginning to first MiLC in August, 364 players were surge across the country again, a difficult and selected to make up 18 squads. extremely frustrating decision was made to cancel all of the previously postponed Testament to the competitive nature was the National Championships for 2020, with the closeness of a number of matches. In total, aim to play them as early as possible in 2021. there were 14 final over finishes, 2 final ball As part of USA Cricket’s continuing efforts to finishes and 2 tied matches going to Super lay the foundation for a robust domestic Overs. 9 x 100s and 4 x 5 wicket hauls cricket structure, the Cricket Committee also highlighted the general standard of cricket. approved two new regulatory documents, the USA Cricket Regulations for the Approval A key objective of Minor League Cricket is to of Domestic Cricket, and the USA Cricket provide young talent an opportunity to Anti-Doping Code, both important to the develop and showcase their talent, 90 effective conduct of the game within the players aged 21 were selected with 71 of United States. those players playing an average of 3 matches, including a host of breakout Further good news rounded out a challenging performances that suggest the future is very but productive year with the USA securing bright. hosting rights to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Regional Qualifier and the ICC Under 19 Then, as soon as it was safe to do so, the Talent Men’s World Cup Regional Qualifier in 2021, Identification events for women and girls and the selectors closed out the year resumed, with events being staged in the States contemplating the selection of zonal and of North Carolina, Texas, California and training groups for men, women and youth. Washington where they had previously been postponed.

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The inability to play any cricket for the Research and report on female majority of the year meant that efforts to participation presented to Women and increase participation levels for the most Girls Committee part also focused on planning and putting in Research and report on youth cricket place the right structures to support the presented to Development Committee implementation of the various plans when League survey to gather information finalized. about structures, playing numbers across the USA. To that end, a huge step forward was taken Creation of Youth Tournaments in May with the naming of 24 Volunteer Planning Group, to consider and Youth Coordinators who will help to drive propose an appropriate structure for the next phase of growth and development domestic junior cricket in youth cricket across the United States. Creation of Softball Planning Group, to The 24 Volunteer Youth Coordinators are consider how best to engage with the spread across 23 cities in 15 states that large softball cricket community that cover all of the six zones of USA Cricket, exists in the USA and they will play an important role in working to help encourage more boys and In June, with many in the community girls to play cricket in their respective hoping for a return to cricket. USA Cricket schools and communities through localized published its Guidelines for Returning to programs and initiatives. Train and Play which were intended to assist by highlighting the cricket specific risks Their role will be focused on encouraging associated with COVID-19 and providing a more schools and communities to engage framework of information and guidelines to with USA Cricket’s Entry Level Program, as those who are seeking the safe resumption well as working with the existing leagues, of training and playing. clubs and academies to increase the amount of opportunities for young USA Cricket recognizes that, in order to cricketers within their zones. grow participation in the sport at all levels, it is important to also create a proper This announcement was then followed by a program, pathway and opportunities for various pieces of audit and planning work existing and aspiring umpires and coaches. on the scale and type of cricket being Following a review of the existing played across the United States, and the landscape, the USA Cricket Board made the creation of some planning groups to help decision to take full ownership for put together plans to engage with and supporting umpires across the USA. This support various parts of the cricketing led towards the launch of the new program pathway; in October 2020.

USA CRICKET ANNUAL REPORT 2020 15 USA Cricket's first-ever Umpiring Program Alacria will work closely with USA Cricket to and Pathway, outlining an overarching design and deliver the National Entry Level framework for the development of umpires Program for Cricket that will be created for within the USA was subsequently young boys & girls across the United States complimented by the appointment of six from the ages of 5-12 as their first Zonal Coordinators to assist in its delivery introduction to the sport of cricket. and implementation. Alongside the development of the Another key area of focus for the year was customized curriculum and offering for the the creation of a new Entry Level Program. National Entry Level Program, Alacria are With a few notable exceptions, the lack of also providing advice and support on the entry level junior cricket programs within most effective way to market and schools and after-school/community commercialize the entire program, so that it programs is one of the biggest challenges can be scaled effectively without any faced by USA Cricket in achieving its vision significant cost burden. for cricket to become a leading sport in the country. The program will seek to introduce cricket to young Americans as widely as possible, in a To that end, towards the end of 2020, the sustainable manner that will have a genuine USA Cricket Board endorsed a long-term impact for American cricket. Much recommendation from its Development of the design work was completed in 2020, Committee to appoint Alacria to work with with extensive consultation with the USA Cricket to design and deliver the American cricket community and other key National Entry Level Program for cricket stakeholders including PE teachers, that will be created for young boys & girls educational experts and leaders in American across the United States from the ages of 5- sports participation. Subject to COVID 12 as their first introduction to the sport of restrictions, it is anticipated that the first cricket. pilot schemes will be launched in selected states in the second half of 2021.

USA CRICKET ANNUAL REPORT 2020 16 Board Committees

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: PARAAG MARATHE (CHAIR); AJITH BHASKAR; AVI GAJE; SURAJ VISWANATHAN; VENU PISIKE; SUSHIL NADKARNI; SRINI SALVER; NADIA GRUNY; ROHAN SAJDEH; CATHERINE CARLSON.

CRICKET COMMITTEE SUSHIL NADKARNI (CHAIR), NADIA GRUNY, SRINI SALVER, VINCE ADAMS, JEFF CROWE.

DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE: VENU PISIKE (CHAIR), AJITH BHASKAR, ERICA RENDLER, SRINI SALVER, JATIN PATEL, BRIAN WALTERS, BASSETT THOMSON.

FAN ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE: PARAAG MARATHE (CHAIR), ROHAN SAJDEH, NADIA GRUNY, MICHAEL HOLDING, TODD MYERS.

FINANCE & COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: CATHERINE CARLSON (CHAIR), ABHIMANYU RAJP, SHAHID AHMED, RAM VARADARAJAN.

WOMEN & GIRLS COMMITTEE: NADIA GRUNY (CHAIR), CATHERINE CARLSON, SHAM CHOTOO, JOHN AARON, PRIYA SINGH.

ACE RELATIONS COMMITTEE: SURAJ VISWANATHAN (CHAIR), AJITH BHASKAR, SUSHIL NADKARNI, NADIA GRUNY.

AUDIT COMMITTEE: PARAAG MARATHE (CHAIR), SURAJ VISWANATHAN, SUSHIL NADKARNI, SRINI SALVER.

MEMBERSHIP WORKING GROUP: AJITH BHASKAR (CHAIR), SURAJ VISWANANTHAN, CATHERINE CARLSON, AVI GAJE, ANAHITA ARORA, SRINI SALVER, DONNA BOWES, SHIRAZ NAJAM

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