DUBAI // Given Australia’s performance in the Test defeat to Pakistan in Dubai, it might be safe to assume Adam Gilchrist’s presence in town would have something to do with them.
Having lost the first match by 221 runs, and with a series to save in Abu Dhabi this week, they could probably do with some input from their greatest ever wicket-keeper/batsman.
However, the recently-retired gloveman is in the city for a cause which has the interests of UAE cricket, rather than that of his homeland, at its core.
Gilchrist presented his eponymously-named Sports Award to Dan D’Souza, an Abu Dhabi-born batsman, at the University of Wollongong Dubai.
As a product of the UAE’s Under 19 World Cup team, D’Souza is one of the leading young cricketers in the country.
The award provides him with a 50 per cent waiver on tuition fees while he studies for his finance degree. Importantly for UAE cricket, it also means he will remain in the country.
He was referred to UOWD by David East, the Emirates Cricket Board chief executive, as the governing body seek to remedy the long-standing talent drain of players aged 18 to 21.
The pathway from playground to international arena is broken when talented sportsmen leave the country to attend university abroad. Often, they do not return, at least not to play representative sport.
“I think this is a good initiative by the university and the cricket board to bridge that gap,” said D’Souza, 20, who attended British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“It means we get a lot more competitive cricket, and it not only benefits us, it benefits the country in terms of keeping the home grown talent here.
“That means you can push through some youngsters in terms of the national team.”
Having deferred entry to university to devote himself to playing for UAE in the Under 19 World Cup, D’Souza expects to complete all his further education in Dubai.
However, he hopes to be able to spend some time on a placement in Australia, at the main campus near Sydney, playing grade cricket.
“We understand there is a void period for local talent being nurtured and continuing on in the system,” Gilchrist said.
“If these opportunities and programmes can allow students to stay home, continue to further their education, yet still work at a passion outside of that, I think that will be more productive for this region. Hopefully it will produce some positive results.
“It would also broaden Dan’s horizon from a cricket and educational perspective to be able to spend some time at the main campus.
“He is eager to progress through the rungs of UAE cricket, so that is going to enhance UAE cricket’s knowledge base.”
pradley@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @SprtNationalUAE
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
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Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
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Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
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Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
The specs
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