When Ollie Duthie was first asked about his eligibility to represent Great Britain at baseball’s Under 23s World Cup, really his UK passport was perfectly sufficient.
Instead, he seems intent on proving his Britishness by adhering to the adage that only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
At noon on Wednesday, while most people were doing their best to stay out of the heat of late summer in Dubai, he was out on the pitcher’s mound.
He is in transit in the city in which he was born and raised, between university term time in Vancouver and playing at the junior World Cup in China next month.
Rather than rest up in the air-conditioning and try to ward off jet lag, he preferred to get back out on to the fields where he learnt the game and limber up his pitching arm.
James Collette, the catcher who helped oversee his development in the Dubai Little League, was there to help out.
Duthie was straight back into the old routine, launching fast balls down the 18 metres from the mound to home plate.
Only something was different from last time he was here. The fizz of the ball through the air and the noise as it cracked into Colette’s glove was telling.
His years studying and playing at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver have clearly had an effect. Duthie’s fast ball has been clocked at 88mph during his time playing in Canada.
His scholarship to attend UBC has opened up new doors for the former JESS Jumeirah and Dubai College schoolboy. Now he is set to become the lone Dubai-born participant on the world stage at the competition in China.
“[Baseball] has provided so many amazing opportunities for me, travelling all over the world, Canada and America, as well as Korea and now China,” Duthie said.
“I never thought it would take me this far. I called it a hobby for so long, then all of a sudden I was practicing six days a week and it was all that’s on your mind 24/7. To see it paying off like this is exceptional.”
With an English mother and a UK-passport, Duthie is about as close to being a dyed in the wool Brit as anyone representing the team in their U23 World Cup debut.
The team have drawn their players from established hotspots for the sport across North America, most with a family link to Britain.
It means they are likely to be more competitive than being the whipping boys of a group that also includes No 1 seeds Japan, Australia and Puerto Rico.
“We are going in as underdogs but we are told on every phone call that the goal is to win,” Duthie said of a GB team who are 18th in baseball’s world rankings.
“You are crazy if you don’t go to try and win every game. It is going to be very difficult. We face some very talented teams like Japan and Australia.
“But seeing the roster we have got, we want to go all the way. That is what we are playing for.”
He says he did not need to be asked twice when he received the invitation to play.
“I’d seen videos of the World Baseball Classic, and that really opened my eyes up to all the international teams that play,” Duthie said.
“Seeing Great Britain play was pretty cool. I watched every one of their games. I have a lot of friends who play in the junior Canada team.
“When I got the call up for Great Britain, there was never a doubt in my mind as to whether I wanted to play or not.”
GB will play on the opening night of the tournament against the hosts, China, in a stadium that holds around 6,000 people.
The prospect of playing in front of a crowd like that holds no fear for Duthie. After all, he has experienced similar already in Canada.
“I love that atmosphere. I don’t know a single person that doesn't,” he said.
“I perform my best when there are people watching. It is exciting. Even if they are chirping at me, saying things I don’t want to hear, it makes me smile and pitch better.
“The first time was terrifying. It was Game 1 of the summer league [in Vancouver], which I didn’t know I was pitching in, with a crowd of 5,500.
“We were losing at the time and I remember going up and being booed a little. The nerves shake and you just pray for a good outing. I was lucky enough to have one of my best innings ever.
“I went three innings, no runs, and walked off smiling. Ever since then, nothing is going to be as scary as that moment.”
It is a far cry from the sedate climes of the Dubai Little League and their diamonds next to Al Quoz Pond Park. Duthie says his time abroad for university has exposed him to plenty already.
“If people want to say something to hurt your feelings, they’ll say it,” he said.
“The worst thing is warming up beforehand. When you are playing, you are in game mode, but warming up is all about anticipation and you want to be in a good mindset.
“Hearing a six-year-old in the stands say you suck does throw you off a little bit but you have to ignore it. And it goes both ways. Other fans were asking for my signature, and I was signing things before and after.
“When you get on the mound, it is the same game you have been playing for 16 years.”
While the UAE itself might be a while off from participating on baseball’s world stage, Duthie hopes his presence at the World Cup will show aspiring players there is a path to follow.
“Growing up here, there are not a ton of opportunities for playing baseball,” he said.
“But hopefully one day I can inspire a kid to think they can go and play at college. We have a wall of fame and it shows that we can play.
“I have had some success at college level and seen other guys do the same. I would love for a younger version of us to see that as an opportunity, and that if you can play, it doesn’t matter where you are from. If you put in the work, it can be rewarding.”
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RIVER%20SPIRIT
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The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
Company profile
Name: One Good Thing
Founders: Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke
Based in: Dubai
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 5 employees
Stage: Looking for seed funding
Investors: Self-funded and seeking external investors
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Who are the Sacklers?
The Sackler family is a transatlantic dynasty that owns Purdue Pharma, which manufactures and markets OxyContin, one of the drugs at the centre of America's opioids crisis. The family is well known for their generous philanthropy towards the world's top cultural institutions, including Guggenheim Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, Tate in Britain, Yale University and the Serpentine Gallery, to name a few. Two branches of the family control Purdue Pharma.
Isaac Sackler and Sophie Greenberg were Jewish immigrants who arrived in New York before the First World War. They had three sons. The first, Arthur, died before OxyContin was invented. The second, Mortimer, who died aged 93 in 2010, was a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. The third, Raymond, died aged 97 in 2017 and was also a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma.
It was Arthur, a psychiatrist and pharmaceutical marketeer, who started the family business dynasty. He and his brothers bought a small company called Purdue Frederick; among their first products were laxatives and prescription earwax remover.
Arthur's branch of the family has not been involved in Purdue for many years and his daughter, Elizabeth, has spoken out against it, saying the company's role in America's drugs crisis is "morally abhorrent".
The lawsuits that were brought by the attorneys general of New York and Massachussetts named eight Sacklers. This includes Kathe, Mortimer, Richard, Jonathan and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, who are all the children of either Mortimer or Raymond. Then there's Theresa Sackler, who is Mortimer senior's widow; Beverly, Raymond's widow; and David Sackler, Raymond's grandson.
Members of the Sackler family are rarely seen in public.
'C'mon C'mon'
Director:Mike Mills
Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman
Rating: 4/5
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
Saturday 15 January: v Canada
Thursday 20 January: v England
Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
RESULT
RS Leipzig 3
Marcel Sabitzer 10', 21'
Emil Forsberg 87'
Tottenham 0
SPAIN SQUAD
Goalkeepers Simon (Athletic Bilbao), De Gea (Manchester United), Sanchez (Brighton)
Defenders Gaya (Valencia), Alba (Barcelona), P Torres (Villarreal), Laporte (Manchester City), Garcia (Manchester City), D Llorente (Leeds), Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
Midfielders Busquets (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona), Thiago (Liverpool), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Ruiz (Napoli), M Llorente (Atletico Madrid)
Forwards: Olmo (RB Leipzig), Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Morata (Juventus), Moreno (Villarreal), F Torres (Manchester City), Traore (Wolves), Sarabia (PSG)
