United Chargers - A Different Approach In Fast Tracking Cricket Development In The USA

October 01, 2009
Over the past one hundred years several approaches has be tried to fast track cricket development in the United States of America with little or no success.

United Chargers camp during an New York Premier League game. (Photo by Shiek Mohamed)

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) player’s eligibility rules for international tournaments have always been a major obstacle and continue to be a major obstacle.

Professional Twenty/20 cricket has presented new opportunities around the world for cricketers where ICC player’s eligibility rule(s) is not a factor.

Because of the opportunities that have been presented, management of The United Chargers Cricket Club, based in Queens, New York, has decided to take a different approach in fast tracking cricket development.

Their approach is very simple i.e. select a cricket team comprising of the finest players in the United States, irrespective of the ICC player’s eligibility rules, that will compete in signature Twenty/20 events in the United States, the Caribbean and Internationally and thereby giving USA cricket and cricketers the needed exposure locally and internationally.

Management of United Chargers believes that linking up businesses and top players as a team is the way to go to speed up cricket development in the United States.

They are hoping that other businesses and top players throughout the United States will do the same thereby leading up to the franchising of top quality cricket teams in the USA.

Several top players from the New York Region have already signed up and are already playing with United Chargers.

Among them is the USA senior cricket captain, Steve Massiah. Massiah plans to make the most out of the opportunity presented. He wants to play as much competitive cricket as possible in preparation for the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers, February 2010 in the United Arab Emirates.

The United Chargers are the Inaugural Championships of New York Premiere League (NYPL) in 2009.

Additionally, United Chargers has already accepted invitations to play in several signature Twenty/20 tournaments in the United States and Caribbean.

United Chargers is financed, sponsored and managed by the following businesses:
Ricky Singh - Singh’s Sporting Goods
Insaf Ali – Two “AA” Mechanic
Boyo – Liberty Gold
Ramesh – Star Party Rental

United Chargers Players Rooster
PLAYERS LIST
STEVE MASSAIH - CAPT
Current USA Captain, Former Guyana Player & NYCR
RH BATSMAN/ OFF SPINNER

DAVID MOHAMED
Former Trinidad Player
RH BATSMAN / OFF SPINNER

RICHARD SEWCHAN
Former Trinidad Player
RH BATSMAN / OFF SPINNER

VISHAL NAGAMOOTTO
Former Guyana National W/Keeper WI U19
RH BATSMAN / W/KEEPER

CURTIS BAPTISE
Former Windward Island Player & USA / NYCR
RH BATSMAN / LEG SPINNER

GLEN HALL
Former Jamaica Player & NYCR
RH OPEN BATSMAN

NKRUMAH BONNER
Former Jamaica Player W.I. U19
RH BATSMAN / LEG SPINNER

KALEEM BUX
Former Guyana Player
RH BATSMAN / MEDIUM PACER

ZAHEER SAFFIE
Former Guyana Player
RH BATSMAN / OFF SPINNER

CARL WRIGHT
Former Jamaica Player , Current USA & NYCR
RH BATSMAN / W/K / OFF SPINNER

RICHARD STAPLE
Former Jamaica Player , Former USA & NYCR Captain
RH BATSMAN / OFF SPINNER

REON KING
Former Guyana & West Indies Player
RH BATSMAN / FAST BOWLER

HEMCHAN HARDEO
NYCR
RH BATSMAN

KOMAL (SUNIL) SINGH
FORMER USA U19 CAPTAIN & NYCR PLAYER
LH BATSMAN LH LEG SPINNER

LAWRENCE CHOY
FORMER ST VINCENT
RH BATSMAN

KEVIN DARLINGTON
FORMER Guyana PLAYER / NYCR / USA
RH FAST BOWLER, RH BATSMAN

ORDELMO PETERS / COACH
FORMER JAMAICA PLAYER

RICKY SINGH / MANAGER
SINGH'S SPORTING GOODS