U.S. Set For Historic Cricket T20 World Cup Without Star Bowler

Cameron Gannon, an Australian cricketer who has represented the U.S. at the international level, found himself in an unusual position. For a player who had spent his 14-year career mostly in the fringes, the 6 foot 7 quick was fronting the cameras and surrounded by reporters after being a hero in Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield triumph last month.

He was beaming, but also understandably it all felt a bit surreal, having produced a ferocious display of hostile pace bowling to tear into Tasmania and help deliver Australian powerhouse WA a third straight red-ball title.

The 35-year-old Gannon, who holds an American passport through his Sacramento-based mother, won’t be part of U.S.’ historic campaign at the upcoming T20 World Cup. Having played four T20Is for the U.S. in 2019, Gannon would surely be a lock for the squad having been the domestic player of the tournament in last year’s debut season of Major League Cricket.

But Gannon is ineligible for selection having missed zonal trials in the U.S. due to his cricket commitments in Australia playing in one of the most respected competitions in the world.

“If that’s the policy then that’s the policy and there is nothing I can do about it. But it’s disappointing,” Gannon told me last month.

Fellow Australian cricketers Brody Couch and Cameron Stevenson also missed the cut for similar reasons and are set to be absent at the T20 World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the U.S. for the first time with some of the tournament’s matches to be played in New York, Dallas and Lauderhill.

It is perhaps an unusual selection policy with U.S. under pressure to perform well in their first-ever cricket World Cup. But their hopes have been raised after a convincing 4-0 series victory over Canada – cricket’s oldest rivalry – earlier in the month.

The U.S. unearthed a slew of debutants, including spinning allrounder Harmeet Singh Baddhan who was player of the series. The 31-year-old from Mumbai formerly represented India at the under-19 level and looms as an important player for U.S, who open the World Cup against Canada on June 1 in Dallas.

Even though the U.S. won’t be at full-strength, due to their contentious selection policy, they do boast former New Zealand star allrounder Corey Anderson who is a pioneering figure for the development of cricket in the world’s biggest sports market.

The U.S. will next month play Bangladesh in a three-match series that will effectively serve as their final preparation before stepping under the bright lights. The U.S. will be favored against Canada, but face tough tests against powerhouse India, former champions Pakistan and Ireland in the group stage of the World Cup which will also be played in the Caribbean.

Just days ago, former Australia cricketer Stuart Law was announced as head coach of the U.S. He doesn’t have much time to mould the team, but does have a wealth of experience after previously being at the helm of Bangladesh and West Indies, and Sri Lanka and Afghanistan on an interim basis.

Law, however, won’t be able to call upon the services of Gannon, who is in the form of his life.