Thaindian News

Dubai, May 26 (ANI): Following the success of the historic New Zealand v Sri Lanka Twenty20 International series played in Florida earlier this month, the USA Cricket Association (USACA), in association with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Three Feet High Productions, has released a television documentary titled “Cricket in America”.

The 50-minute feature highlights cricket’s unique history in the United States, provides an insight into where the game is played in the country, and explores the potential of cricket to take hold in perhaps the most competitive sports marketplace in the world.

The first ever international cricket match is recognised as having been played in New York City between the USA and Canada in 1844 and it is estimated there are as many as 15 million cricket fans in the USA, which is an Associate Member of the ICC, cricket’s global governing body.

Commenting on the documentary, ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: “This documentary highlights the vast potential for the growth of the sport in the USA and we hope it encourages more people to get involved in cricket from grassroots to elite levels. It also forms part of a wider ICC plan to promote our Great Sport to new audiences around the world.”

USACA Chief Executive Don Lockerbie hopes the release of this documentary, along with the staging of international fixtures such as the New Zealand v Sri Lanka series, will provide some of the impetus needed to make cricket a serious mainstream sport in the USA over the coming decade.

“The release of this documentary will serve as an international introduction to our ‘Destination USA’ cricket initiative, which kicked off with the New Zealand v Sri Lanka series,” said Mr Lockerbie. (ANI)