Abu Dhabi clinch UAE Under 19 title but cricket is the real winner

UAE national coach Aaqib Javed's vision to discover young talent is becoming a reality, writes Amith Passela.

Jonathan Figy was top scorer in his second straight game as Abu Dhabi beat Sharjah in the inter-emirates final. Ravindranath K / The National

ABU DHABI // With an eye on the future, the UAE’s best youth cricketers have been in action for four days, after which a group will be shortlisted as the first stage of a new pathway system.

Abu Dhabi won the inaugural ECB Under 19 National Tournament on Friday, beating Sharjah by 11 runs in a close finish in the final at the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council’s Nursery Oval-2.

The emphasis, though, was on shortlisting a squad for the UAE for U19 competitions ahead.

“Obviously, we recognise the need for the best players playing against the best players, and the inter-Emirate was the logical thing to do,” said Andrew Russell, national development manager of Emirates Cricket Board (ECB).

“It is like the provincial system like anywhere in the world, where players can be selected to make their emirate under their respective councils and then participate in a high-quality tournament for possible UAE selection.

“What we have really done is to streamline the selection process so a player who wants to make it to the UAE team has first to start with the regional team. It is also a stepping stone to get into adult tournaments.”

Batting first, Abu Dhabi were all out for 195 after sitting at 174 for four in 36 overs, with medium pacer Ahsan Ali taking four wickets in his second spell to finish with five for 28 from 10 overs.

Jonathan Figy, the 14-year-old left-hander, was the top scorer for the second time in two games, with Moiz Qazi (41) and opener Justin D’Souza (35) chipping in with useful contributions.

Yodhin Punja struck for Abu Dhabi with early wickets, but Sharjah fought back through No 3 Syed Abrar (62) and last-wicket pair Mohammed Anwar (26) and Harikrishnan Valloli (17 not out).

The game looked to be slipping away from Abu Dhabi – as it did in their group-stage match, when they required 23 to win with the last pair on – but Anwar holed a catch to Punja off Moiz Qazi for Abu Dhabi to celebrate.

“The level of cricket played during the four days has really been impressive, particularly the final, which was such a tight game, and some games before. What it does is to put the players in the pressure situations,” Russell said.

“In those situations, we really find out what players are made of. If they are not exposed to those situations, they can’t develop. I think we are putting them in situations where they are forced to develop in order to play good cricket at this level.

“That’s ideal for the player pathway, and from what I have seen when I compare it to other national tournaments is there are some very good players out there in each council teams.

“Possibly the depth is something we need may be work on, and in having really strong teams throughout each emirate, but I have no doubt the UAE U19 will have a strong team.”

Aaqib Javed, the UAE coach, said the U19 tournament was the perfect start and his next goal was to get the senior team to play in the same structure in three different formats, Twenty20, 50-over and two- or three-day games.

“The longer version is important for us because in the coming two years we have to play seven four-day games,” he said.

“When you have to play four-day cricket, we need to create that structure to play at least two or three-day games at the inter-emirate level.

He said plans are underway to start a National Academy to groom the UAE’s best talent.

“At the moment we are depending mainly on the expatriate community for player selection, but ideally I would love to see the home grown talents, those born in the UAE, to be groomed at the academy,” Aaqib said.

One problem the ECB faces is the rule stating that children cannot stay on their parents’ sponsorship upon turning 18 unless they gain entrance into a university or employment in the UAE.

Aaqib said the ECB has plans to provide cricket scholarships in the universities in the UAE and a contract system thereafter, where they can retain some of the talented players to play for the UAE.

Next up for the UAE is two ODIs against Kenya in May, the four-day Intercontinental Cup against Ireland in June and the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers in Scotland and Ireland in July.

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