UAE’s Under 19 World Cup hopes might be over but they are still aiming to take some scalps of leading teams, according to coach Dom Telo.
The age-group side exited the main phase of the competition when they fell to a 23-run defeat to hosts South Africa in a rain-affected group match on Saturday.
They will now face Scotland, against whom they played a three-match warm up series in Dubai ahead of the World Cup, on Tuesday in the quarter-final of the Plate tournament.
The consolation competition might not have been what the players had headed to South Africa to participate in. They did, after all, have serious designs on beating South Africa and advancing through to the Super League phase.
There might still be opportunities for them to be noticed yet, though. England, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka are all in the Plate event.
UAE have only once beaten a Test nation in a competitive fixture at any level, and the age-group side are keen to add to that tally.
Their belief that they are capable of doing so will be buoyed by how they fared against South Africa in the decisive pool match.
UAE were 112-3 chasing 300 to win when the rain came 23.5 overs in to their chase.
Whether they would have made it is open to question. But the fact they even considered themselves in contention against such a celebrated cricket nations shows how far the UAE side have come, according to their coach.
“I said to the guys in the dressing room that the hurt they are feeling now shows just how much they have come along as individuals and as a team,” Telo said.
“In the past, just being able to compete with South Africa and be on the same field as them would have been an achievement for some of these players.
“Now, after all the progression they have made, and how far they have come, that is not good enough for them. They want to do better, they want to beat top teams, and that is credit to them.
“We are obviously disappointed, but there is three games left in this World Cup, and there is the potential to beat a couple of Full Members if the chance comes along.
“This tournament is not over for them. We have to dust ourselves off, as hard as it is, and move onto the next game against Scotland.”
Telo said the nature of the rain-revised loss to South Africa had been a lesson to his players.
“For any team that has worked as hard as these guys have to try and achieve their goal of qualifying for the Super League, to have that taken away by something out of your control is tough to accept,” Telo said.
“For young cricketers, it might be the first time, but it definitely won’t be the last time something like this happens to them. Sometimes things like this come into it. We have to reflect on it and deal with it.”
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
