It is unclear as yet whether the next Ben Stokes is in action in the Ramada Gulf Cup, but there are plenty of willing candidates after one of the country’s largest youth cricket competition’s got under way this week.
The tournament started on Sunday morning in Ajman. More than 800 players across 66 teams are involved in the 15-day event.
This year the involvement is limited to the UAE’s leading academies and junior teams because of travel limitations brought about by Covid, but in the past there has been some notable talent from overseas.
In 2005, an unknown 14-year-old called Ben Stokes was voted the tournament’s second best player, as he toured with Durham. Fellow England star Mark Wood was also a past tourist with the county from England’s northeast.
The competition has also seen a variety of players pass through it on their way to international honours with the UAE, such as Rameez Shahzad, Ahmed Raza, and Chirag Suri.
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How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
