ABU DHABI // Ireland put the finishing touches to their preparation at the Zayed Cricket Academy yesterday before flying to Sri Lanka today for their opening match of the ICC Intercontinental Cup.
Ireland will play Afghanistan in a four-day cup match at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, starting on Thursday, and then participate in a four-team Twenty20 tournament involving Sri Lanka A, Afghanistan and Canada, as part of their preparation for the ICC World T20 qualifiers in UAE next month.
"The two days in Abu Dhabi will surely benefit the players before we travel to Sri Lanka," said the coach Phil Simmons.
"The first game is always the hardest, especially for a team coming from freezing weather conditions. We play Afghanistan and they are a pretty good side.
"We are looking forward to playing good cricket and that's what is important to us. The first part of the tour is to concentrate on the four-day game and then switch on to the shorter format so that we can be ready for the ICC qualifiers."
Paul Sterling, the batsman, and the left-arm spinner George Dockrell will be promoted from the Under 19 squad for the T20 leg of the tour while Boyd Rankin, the fast bowler, should be fit for the T20 qualifiers.
"He is recovering from a foot injury and is set to join the squad in Dubai. Paul and George are young players with tremendous potential," said the team manager Roy Torrens,
Andre Botha, Alex Cusack, Trent Johnston, John Mooney, Kevin O'Brien and Stirling have all been awarded A contracts by Cricket Ireland while their three English county players, Niall O'Brien, Rankin and William Porterfield - along with Andrew White - received B contracts, Five others, yet to be named, will received C contracts.
"Cricket has got recognition after Ireland's performance at the 2007 World Cup," added Torrens. "The players are given new contracts and this certainly is a step forward."
@Email:apassela@thenational.ae
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Top tips
Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
RESULTS
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
MATCH INFO
Group B
Bayern Munich v Tottenham, midnight (Thursday)
