When it was announced that the United States were coming to the UAE for a cricket tour, some wags might have been moved to dust off that old souvenir tea-towel that lists how to explain the game in simple terms to foreigners.
Now, after a little over two weeks in the country, in which they have won six out of eight completed matches, it turns out there is no mansplaining required after all.
The United States cricket team can play a bit. Who knew?
They set the seal on a successful tour with a nine-wicket thrashing of the UAE team at The Sevens, Dubai. That gave the USA a 2-1 series win over the national team in the 50-over series between the two sides.
In addition to that, they whitewashed the UAE’s second string side in three matches, as well as coasting to a win over Lancashire, the English county team, in a limited-overs match.
All of which means they are purring along nicely in preparation for their World Cricket League Division 2 campaign in Namibia next month, for which this tour was preparation.
Pubudu Dassanayake, the USA coach, helped put the building blocks in place that have helped Nepal to ascend to the heights of full one-day international status in the past. He is optimistic similar can happen in his latest post.
“It was a challenge,” Dassanayake said of his role with the USA.
“It is not easy, especially when you have to put Caribbean players together with Asians, because they have learned the game in different ways.
“Even though they are talented players, the way they use that talent is different. Getting them into the same mindset was not easy.
“I am very satisfied with how things have gone in the past one year. Now, more than relying on talent, it is about working as a team.
“Everyone is very clear of their roles, and they are hungry to win. If we can have a good tournament in Namibia, I think it will do a lot for USA cricket.
“There is a lot of cricket being played in the US. It is just about that being channelled into the team. But we need to perform for that to happen.”
Dougie Brown, the UAE coach whose own side have bigger tests to follow with forthcoming tours to Oman and Zimbabwe, has been impressed by the USA side.
“The USA are going to shock a few teams,” Brown said. “They are very committed to each other, and very disciplined. They played really well and thoroughly deserved to win.
“They have a huge population, a lot of which is subcontinental and West Indian. Cricket is going to be in their blood.
“It just needs a spark to be ignited from the national side to really get the game going, being the population is there.”
