In a bizarre incident, the International Cricket Council had to withdraw funds transferred electronically to the United States Youth Cricket Association as the payment was actually meant for USA Cricket Association.
A wire transfer of around $8,100 had to be returned to ICC Americas headquarters in Toronto after it was revealed to have been intended for the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) and not for USYCA.
The ICC has apologised for the goof-up.
“An administrative error resulted in funds from the ICC Americas regional office, meant for the USA Cricket Association, being sent to the USYCA,” an ICC spokesman was quoted as saying.
“USACA is the governing body for cricket, and the ICC’s member in the United States. ICC Americas has apologised to both the USYCA and USACA for this confusion, which is now being rectified.”
Headquartered in Miami, USACA is an ICC Associate member.
The mix-up had momentarily left the USYCA’s president Jamie Harrison hopeful of a more constructive and mutually beneficial relationship between his association and the ICC, but he was left discontented when Ben Kavenagh, ICC Americas Regional Development Manager, requested the money be returned.
The USYCA was formed by Harrison in 2010 with the intention of making a more vigorous effort to grow the game in the USA, and has since reached around 250,000 school students.