After UAE sealed qualification for the T20 World Cup last week, coach Robin Singh said he will now turn his attention to working out which players will be best suited to succeed in Australia.
Pitch conditions, for one thing, are likely to be entirely different to those which mostly prevail in the Middle East. And yet the country has been equipped for a situation like this for more than a decade, now.
While it was under construction, the ICC Academy in Dubai Sports City imported clay from Brisbane to use on the wicket block of one of its ovals.
No one knew whether the experiment would make a discernible difference. Time has shown that those pitches are, in fact, faster than the characteristics of the other wickets, which are based on clay from Pakistan.
“Having multiple surfaces [in one place] gives everyone the chance to prepare the way they should for a long duration,” Qasim Ali, the head of cricket development at the ICC Academy, said.
“If, for argument's sake, Oman doesn’t have Australian clay, or Gabba wickets to prepare on, and they just have South Asian clay, they are more likely to be behind the eight ball.
“UAE is in a position where it has seven months to get players ready on faster pitches for the World Cup in Australia. That is going to be a big challenge.”
For years, international teams have beaten a path to Sports City in the knowledge they will be able to replicate many of the conditions they will be set to face on tour.
Now the home country itself is reaping the rewards, with cohorts of young players passing through the ICC Academy equipped to deal with differing challenges.
Nine of the 15-player squad who won the plate competition at the Under 19 World Cup in the Caribbean last month are from the Academy.
Their absence for that tour meant the academy’s representative side had to forfeit three UAE U19 A division championship fixtures. Yet they still returned to dominate the competition and claim the title, for the second season running.
“Some people might say it’s unfair with us being such a strong team, but we feel like we have worked really hard to get to this stage,” said Abhay Katoch, a fast-bowling all-rounder who has played at the academy for the past four years.
“We feel like we deserve this trophy. We all want to work towards the national men’s setup, and a few of our guys have been part of the men’s setup. We are all aspiring to the next level.”
Coach Qasim believes a raft of players are well on the path to reaching that level already. He expects leg-spinner Adithya Shetty and all-rounder Ali Naseer, in particular, to be pushing for places in the World Cup squad come October.
He also thinks many of the practices adopted at the ICC Academy since his arrival at the start of 2017 are already trickling down to the wider junior game across Dubai.
“If you look around, a lot of the academy directors are now replicating what is happening with our scholarship programme and also our curriculum,” Qasim said.
“It has been good to lead the pack in terms of generating some interest in terms of what needs to be done and working in the same direction in terms of a vision for UAE cricket. There’s been a trickle-down effect with everything.”
Nilansh Keswani, another ICC Academy product, agrees aspiring national team players are lucky to have access to its facilities.
“The ICC Academy has the very best facilities you can have, because of all the different types of wickets,” Keswani said.
“There are Asian wickets, Australian pitches. It is good for us that the men’s side can prepare for Australia. Hopefully, we can make it to the Super 12s.”
Jash Giyanani, another member of the academy’s title-winning side, is excited by the idea of trying to push for a place in the World Cup squad.
“I think everybody has a chance,” said Giyanani, who is a left-arm spinner, like his teammate Keswani.
“It is about performance. If you perform well enough, you are in there. You are definitely going to get noticed, you are definitely going to get recognition.
“You are going to get chances if you perform well. I don’t think anyone is out of the mix, or anyone is 100 per cent there.”
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs
Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 7-speed automatic
Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km
Price: Dh235,000
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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Details
Through Her Lens: The stories behind the photography of Eva Sereny
Forewords by Jacqueline Bisset and Charlotte Rampling, ACC Art Books
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
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Transmission: Eight-speed auto
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