U.S. Seniors Making Us Proud In Americas Cup

By Orin Davidson
For too long cricket in the Americas Region on the whole, has been taken for granted.

The latest example of disrespect was exhibited at the current Americas Cup competition being staged in Canada.

A total of five teams are competing for the right to be crowned Regional Champions, but the organizing of the series is far from anything resembling a championship.

As the teams enter the final day today (August 26), no provisions have been made for rain affected games and with the heavens opening up in Canada presently, the United States might well be robbed of the title as a result.

Today (August 25) consistent showers denied our team a chance for their biggest victory in two years when their crucial game against tournament favorites Bermuda was abandoned.. With no reserve day being in place, the encounter will go down in the record books as a no-result.

Each team went home with two points each, but Bermuda emerged unscathed because it was their final game. But for the U.S. it was a no-result that is set to deprive them of the title, as they have one more game left which is also threatened by rain today.

Should the inevitable ensue and the rains come hurtling down, the U.S. would be left with two wins and two abandoned results, leaving Bermuda to take home the spoils, with us being left empty handed.

It will be the most unpleasant of conclusions, simply because the organizers did not appreciate the importance of providing reserve days. Over the years the Cricket Council of Americas has organized this competition, and if they are responsible again this year, it shows they are not growing with the times.

It is incumbent for international competitions these days to have reserve dates as with the increasing number of tournaments being staged even in the back-water Regions like the Americas, the pressure to find suitable dates results in games being staged at all times of the summer.

This oversight is sure to rob the U.S team of a golden opportunity to stamp its return to the international scene with a bang. Presently Bermuda with its experience and big name coach Gus Logie, would’ve been a huge scalp for the U.S. to snare in yesterday’s key encounter. Yet the weather and shortsighted official cost us dearly with our team well on pace for a morale boosting win.

The result of the pivotal encounter would’ve no doubt determined the competition’s winner.

But as things turned out, we have to hope against hope that the weather forecasters are wrong to allow time to oppose Canada today.

But that’s only a hope, as the weather men are hardly ever wrong in the developed world.

Following our shocking display at the World Cup Qualifying series last year, where we failed to place even in the top five, a strong statement was required from the U.S. team this year, and no one has been disappointed so far by the results from Canada.

Much kudos are in store for captain Steve Massiah who has led by example in his very first stint at the helm.

Also the national selectors deserve a pat on the back for investing in a new corps of hungry and young players. But it does not mean they should averse themselves from taking chances as the omission of Rashard Marshall has robbed the batting line of even greater firepower.

Nevertheless it is a time to feel proud of America’s cricket, even if the predicted rains today prevents us from beating Canada once again, and topping Bermuda on run rate for the crown.
Orin Davidson Column Homepage