NY Committee Removes Coach Fraser From U-19 Team

By Orin Davidson
August 28th, 2008
Despair has struck the New York Under-19 cricket team just days before their defense of the United States annual junior championship this weekend.

Gladstone Dainty Jeffroy Morrishaw

Four players and coach Linden Fraser are out of the squad for reasons as diverse as the skills needed to deliver a yorker or hit a straight six.

Fraser, the longstanding coach was removed by the New York Regional Committee, the area’s recently formed governing body for the sport, while top players Javein Thomas, Saud Hussein, captain Andy Harricharran and Jamshed Assam are also out for reasons ranging from a rule change, poor discipline and lack of funding.

The coach said he was taken off the team by the Committee following a meeting on Tuesday night which determined that he has been suspended by the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) president Gladstone Dainty, pending a meeting of the association.

New York chairman Jeffroy Morrishaw confirmed that the committee is abiding by the dictates of Dainty and as such Fraser cannot partake in any activities under the jurisdiction of the national ruling body.

Queried on the authenticity of the suspension, in light of it being interpreted as unconstitutional, Morrishaw said in his opinion the president has the authority to suspend anyone associated with United States cricket

He said his interpretation of the constitution suggests that the president has such power, but which has been disputed by at least two members of the USACA board.
“It is unfortunate that Fraser got caught up in this, but we have to follow the protocol, if the USACA president hands down a directive we have to follow it,” Morrishaw added

Dainty had e-mailed the coach informing him of his decision to suspend him, following the conclusion of the recent national under-15 championship of which Fraser was involved as national junior selector and coach of the New York team. However two members of the USACA Board said they were not party to any such decision, which
Dainty said was for revealing the composition of the national under-15 team before approval. A frivolous charge indeed.

Article VIII 2 of USACA Constitution states that: “The Board, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority may suspend, or expel a member due to conduct deemed to be prejudicial, detrimental and / or contrary to the aims and objectives of the Association. The member shall be provided an opportunity to present its case to the Board prior to the decision to suspend or expel.”

As a result of the New York Committee’s decision, the team which won the 2007 competition with Fraser at the helm, will defend their title without him and will have to be handled by manager Lester Hooper and an assistant manager.

The loss of the four players will also weaken their chances in the competition scheduled from Friday to Monday. Thomas was removed for indiscipline behavior following a practice session incident while a belated decision by USACA to lower the age requirement has sidelined Hussein and Harricharran.

Players must now be 18 years and under to be eligible after they could’ve been one year older up to two weeks ago..

On the other hand, Assam has not been able to fund his traveling expenses which all the New York players are now required to provide because of USACA’s inability to acquire full sponsorship for the competition.

The New York Committee also could not raise the money required for airline tickets, meals and internal transportation.

The four players have been replaced by Rasheem James, Lookesh Subramani, Abdulla Syed and Cameron Merja.

The adjusted squad: Gregory Sewdial, Sylovasen Kalimootoo, Asruddeen Mohammed, Ron Andrews, Kavishhwar Bridgepaul, Keon Lake, Shaan Metha, Hugo D’Olivera, Dominic Gomes, Lekiran Latchman, Rasheem James, Lookesh Subramani, Abdulla Syed and Cameron Merja.
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