non-Test playing countries from both the International Cricket Conference (ICC) and the West Indies Cricket Board of Control.

In a publication known as The Umpire -- a newsletter for the association of cricket umpires of Southern California written by Dennis Heath -- the author recently warned both the ICC and the WICBC that the growth of cricket in ICC associated countries depended heavily on their input.

Heath umpired in Bermuda during the 1970s and was an executive member of Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association.

"To the ICC and WICBC, please take note that the future of cricket in these countries is dependent on the role you play in that region,'' he wrote. "It is not enough for you to send out scouting missions to periodically tell us that your goal is to improve cricket in the region. It is not enough for you to tell us that one-day international status can only be achieved by countries who play three-day cricket on a regular basis.

"It is quite ridiculous to suggest that an associate country must play the professional three-day fixture to have one-day matches recognised as official.

"When the USA national team contested a limited overs match under ICC rules and regulations against a national Sri Lankan cricket team, it is quite obvious that we had a contest of international status being played by two ICC affiliated teams.'' Heath added: "It is definitely not enough to tell the associate member countries that they must have an international stadium to stage international cricket matches. Why do we have to play international cricket in a stadium designed by the ICC? "The ICC and WICBC development committees' emphasis on definition of one-day matches being played in a national stadium is misguided. Associated member countries need financial support to exchange and expose teams from member countries. When our teams have improved to the stage where cricket is a saleable commodity then that is the time to talk of a national stadium and definition of one day internationals.'' Heath also felt that for the sport to flourish in the US, a commitment was needed from the ICC and WICBC to "come to terms with a full package of support -- support in terms of taking on the responsibility of financially picking up and assisting with the cost of foreign teams visiting.'' He noted that last year there was a heavy burden on the California Cricket Association of finding in excess of $30,000 to cover the cost of a visit by a Jamaican team that included current Test players Jimmy Adams and Franklyn Rose.