Bridgetown (Barbados), June 27 (IANS): The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board, exercising its power under Article 2.7 of the ICC's Articles of Association, has unanimously decided to suspend the membership of the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) with immediate effect.

The decision was made after very careful consideration of the findings set out in a recently constituted Review Group report to the ICC Board on the status and activities of USACA -- a comprehensive document based on inputs from over 100 stakeholders, including USACA -- and followed a meeting with USACA representatives during the ICC Annual Conference.

The Review Group in its report expressed "significant concerns about the governance, finance, reputation and cricketing activities of USACA".

The suspension means that USACA will not be entitled to receive any ICC funding nor will it be entitled to determine whether cricket matches and events staged in the US should have the status of approved or disapproved cricket. Instead, the ICC will make that determination.

However, the ICC Board, in its absolute discretion and considering that the players should not suffer due to the suspension, has confirmed it will allow the US cricket team to participate in next month's World Twenty20 Qualifier in Ireland and Scotland. The US Under-19 team will also be permitted to play in the upcoming Americas Championship in Bermuda.

"The ICC Board has made this difficult decision after careful consideration and in the best interest of the game and all cricketers in the US. The country has tremendous potential but because of governance, financial and cricketing challenges, the opportunity to grow the game is not being properly nurtured," ICC Chairman N. Srinivasan said in a statement.

"The ICC Board had put USACA on notice in its January meeting this year and had hoped that it would show some urgency to address and improve in the areas that were identified as weaknesses. Unfortunately, the response to date has been inadequate and it has proved necessary for the ICC Board to take further action."

In order to have its suspension lifted and its membership reinstated, USACA will be required to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the ICC Board, by reference to detailed and specific evidence, that conditions relating to governance, finance and its cricket activities have been addressed and remedied in full.