On Feb 17 2005, cricketing history was made in Auckland. New Zealand wore their beige kit for the first time since the 1980s, and augmented it with moustaches, sideburns and even, in the case of Hamish Marshall, an afro.
Oh, and it was against Australia in the first ever Twenty20 international, but that is a mere footnote.
So iconic had the Kiwis' beige kit become that it even inspired a portion of New Zealand cricket fans to rebrand themselves as the 'Beige Brigade' in 1999.
Not the most exciting nickname for a bunch of fans, but a far more colourful group than the colour they actually celebrate. In their own words: "It's about passion not fashion."
The group, many of whom also enjoy wearing 'stubbies' (the shortest of short shorts), even sent NZ$100 (Dh213) to New Zealand Cricket in 2003, asking for the kit to be brought back.
Two years later they got their wish, despite Chief Executive Officer of New Zealand Cricket Martin Sneddon previously telling them: "NZ Cricket had invested heavily in the black branding for the Black Caps and that a return to beige was completely out of the question."
The love of beige dates back to the success New Zealand enjoyed while wearing the kit in the 1980s, with the likes of Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe in the team.
In the end Australia won the inaugural T20 international by 44 runs, but it was their hosts the day who remain champions of cricketing couture.
* Alex Kunawicz
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How Beautiful this world is!
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A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
