Cricket: Look at the long game with US Twenty20, says Vaughan

The success of New Zealand Cricket's American venture should not be judged on its tepid start, but by events five years down the track, says chief executive Justin Vaughan.

New Zealand played two T20 matches against Sri Lanka in Lauderhill, Florida. It was the initial foray of a company whose ownership is split between NZC and United States of America Cricket Association.

Not only did the matches run at a loss, but they were low-scoring affairs marred by a pitch lacking in pace and bounce.

It has not swayed NZC from the belief that there is a huge growth market to be tapped in the US - particularly northern California, New York and Florida, areas with a high percentage of subcontinent ex-patriates.

"The projected losses were being underwritten by a third party," said Vaughan. "So we can go ahead and further develop a relationship with US cricket. It will take time. I think everyone understands you are not going to immediately transform the US into a cricket-mad nation, or excite the local sponsors and broadcasters."

The reasons for the US assault are two-fold: The potential for growing the cricket market - statistics suggested more clicks on cricket websites came from the US than any other country barring India - and for NZC to get a stake in cricket other than that played here.

Until now, NZC's only income has come from ICC dividends and the revenue generated from cricket within New Zealand.

Under the joint venture NZC potentially benefit from the IPL or Champions league being hosted in the US, or any type of international cricket, even if it doesn't involve New Zealand.

There has been talk, too, of the ICC hosting the Champions Trophy in the US, though Vaughan said it was unlikely to happen before 2015, despite 2013 being mooted briefly.

"[2013 is] a real long shot. We talked about that, but ICC regulations require two venues pretty close to each other and at the moment we've only got one. It also needs a number of practice facilities and at the moment there are no other turf wickets in Florida, so it would be a stretch. From the ICC's perspective and a commercial perspective there would be a lot of enthusiasm for it, but it's probably a bridge too far," said Vaughan.

"ICC events beyond 2015, certainly that is something very much on the horizon."

Even if the games against Sri Lanka did not set the pulses racing, they did serve a purpose. NZC and USACA proved they could stage an event at the Lauderhill. While the crowds were not huge, they were engaged.

"We got reasonable crowds. Obviously they were mainly ex-pats but we got some Americans there," Vaughan said. "The players really enjoyed themselves and through word of mouth that will have a positive effect on the cricket community there.

"While the wicket wasn't up to the standards we would like to see for international Twenty20 cricket, the facility is otherwise really good. The wicket has potential, but we had issues where the grass died."

NZC turf manager Jared Carter, who flew to Florida a week before the opening match, will next year be more heavily involved in the preparation of the wicket in hope of making a more attractive spectacle.