16 Sept 2006
Every September 15, the Dubai Cricket Council announces its schedule for the new season. This season there hasn't been any announcement.
The seven cricket grounds in the Al Jadaf area were taken over for the construction of the Dubai Health City by the end of May. Cricket lovers, who used to throng these grounds, have been deprived of a facility to play the game.
The DCC stages over 500 matches on these grounds every season. Despite frantic efforts, the Dubai Cricket Council has not been able to get another venue.
The UAE cricket team play in many international tournaments and the majority of the players are from Dubai. Depriving players of facilities for matches and practice could affect the overall performance of the national team.
Coaching camps and inter-school matches used to be held regularly on these grounds. School children are now deprived of a proper area to polish their talents.
The DCC organises one of the most popular inter-school cricket tournament, but due to lack of grounds, it will now be cancelled.
It was based on the performances in this inter-school tournament that selectors picked the best players for the UAE junior teams.
International teams too used to come and play on these grounds, which had the approval of the International Cricket Council. Nearly Dh800,000 was spend by the Emirates airline for the creation of two turf grounds.
Abdul Razzaq Kazim, the vice chairman of the DCC and UAE team national selector, feels that "DCC has brought fame to this country by producing good players to represent the UAE team. If these grounds are taken away, it will destroy the game here."
Hayat Yar Khan, secretary, DCC, said: "The DCC is not a profit-making body. We are actually serving the public by providing a recreational facility. We hope the authorities consider this aspect and give us some land nearby for us to stage our activities."
Mohammad Lokhandwala, who is a qualified coach and the tournament director of the DCC's inter-school tournament, warns that grassroots level cricket will be badly affected.
Lokhandwala used to coach at the DCC coaching centre, but is left with no place to provide coaching.
Some of the coaches in Dubai fear that the lack of grounds may lead to young cricketers learning wrong techniques by playing on uneven grounds and from unqualified coaches.
School children can now be seen practicing on car parks and on vacant plots. When DCC had their grounds, all the seven grounds used to be packed, especially on holidays.
"The DCC ground provided a lot of joy to the children. If the DCC is not provided with another area to set up their grounds it will badly affect the UAE team's performance," says Jairaj Thakur, one of the leading coaches in the UAE.
By K.R. Nayar
Gulf News 2006. All rights reserved.
