USA Cricket is pleased to announce a revised committee structure and the inclusion of a number of experienced and independent appointments to a number of those committees. The restructure is part of USA Cricket’s continuing efforts to set itself up and govern the sport in the most effective way possible.
The revised structure aligns to the strategic objectives of USA Cricket’s soon-to-be-announced Foundational Plan (2020-2023) and reflects a further step towards meeting the requirements set out in the USA Cricket constitution.
Each of the committees will be chaired by a Director from the USA Cricket Board, who, working closely together with management, will ensure strategic alignment and operational effectiveness within each committee. The group of committee members appointed ensures the presence of relevant expertise and experience, player representation, gender, ethnic and regional diversity, independence and expanded roles for the Independent Directors on the USA Cricket Board.
The new structure has ten committees, each reporting directly to the Board, together with a working group to support membership matters as USA Cricket builds towards the launch of its new membership portal.
The composition of seven of those committees and the working group have been approved and includes prominent figures from international cricket in the form of the ICC Elite Panel Match Referee and former NZ international Jeff Crowe (Cricket Committee) and legendary West Indian pace bowler Michael Holding (Fan Engagement Committee), both of whom either live or spend significant time in Florida. Also appointed to the Fan Engagement Committee is the experienced broadcast executive and current SVP of Willow TV International, Todd Myers, who has developed has a deep understanding of the USA cricket fan market.
The revised structure also sees the appointment of experienced cricket administrators in the shape of John Aaron (Women & Girls Committee), Brian Walters (Development Committee), Ram Vadarajan (Finance & Commercial Affairs Committee) and Shahid Ahmed (Finance & Commercial Affairs Committee). Local knowledge and expertise is provided by the experienced coach and cricket administrator, Jatin Patel (Development Committee), and leaders of highly successful junior cricket programs across the country have also been appointed in the form of Priya Singh (Women & Girls Committee), Sham Chotoo (Women & Girls Committee) and Basset Thompson (Development Committee). The new structure also incorporates the well-respected trio of Dr Vince Adams (Cricket Committee), Shiraz Najam and Donna Bowes (both Membership Working Group), each of whom played important roles on the ICC’s Sustainable Foundation Group between 2016-2018 that led to the creation of USA Cricket and its first ever election.
Finally, player representation has been expanded, with current and former international players Abi Rajp (Finance & Commercial Affairs Committee), Erica Rendler (Development Committee) and Anahita Arora (Membership Working Group) being included alongside sitting player directors, Nadia Gruny and Srini Salver.
“I am delighted to be able to announce this committee restructure which will help to deliver improved operational effectiveness and alignment. It is thrilling to have such tremendous knowledge, experience and diversity available to help support our efforts and this completes another piece of work in our ongoing efforts to set USA Cricket up in the most effective way” said USA Cricket Chairman Paraag Marathe. “I would like to convey the Board’s sincere appreciation to all individuals who have served on any of the previously established committees. Committee work is voluntary in nature and requires significant time and commitment, and the efforts to date of earlier committees have certainly helped to lay the foundation for the exciting initiatives that are to come within this new structure.”
USA Cricket – Committee Appointments with effect from August 2020:
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: | Avinash Gaje (Chair), Catherine Carlson, Abhimanyu Rajp, Shahid Ahmed, Ram Vadarajan. |
Women & Girls Committee: | Nadia Gruny (Chair), Catherine Carlson, Sham Chotoo, John Aaron, Priya Singh. |
ACE Relations Committee: | Suraj Viswanathan (Chair), Ajith Bhaskar, Venu Pisike, 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 |
* Note: further announcements about the composition of the Nominating & Governance Committee, the Leagues Committee and the Ethics, Grievance and Disciplinary Committee will be made in due course.