Geraint Jones will play for Papua New Guinea.
Geraint Jones will play for Papua New Guinea.
Geraint Jones will play for Papua New Guinea.
Geraint Jones will play for Papua New Guinea.

Michael Di Venuto and Geraint Jones to compete in the Emirates


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The former internationals Michael Di Venuto and Geraint Jones will be the best-known players when 16 of the ICC's Associate and Affiliate member countries compete in the UAE next month for a place in the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

Di Venuto, who played nine one-day international matches for Australia, will represent Italy while Jones, who was England's wicketkeeper when they won the Ashes in 2005, will represent Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the 72-game World Twenty20 Qualifier.

The event will be contested from March 13 to 24 across five venues in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

The winner will join Australia and West Indies in Group B in the September 18 to October 7 tournament later this year while the runner-up will be placed in Group A with the defending champions England and former winners India.

Di Venuto, the 38-year-old batsman, is eligible because he has an Italian passport while Jones, 35, can play for PNG as he was born there, in the city of Kundiawa.

Afghanistan will be defending the title they won in Dubai two years and they have named eight players in the squad who were members of the side who beat Ireland by eight wickets in the final in Dubai. They will be coached by Kabir Khan who leaves his job as coach of the UAE today to be reunited with the Afghanistan team.

Ashish Bagai of Canada will also be missing from next month's action, as will the UAE, who will miss their home competition after failing to advance beyond the Asian leg of the qualification process.

The national team, who were one victory away from reaching the last World Twenty20 in the Caribbean, exited the Nepal qualifier due to an inferior run rate, despite losing just one match.

Oman, Nepal and Hong Kong advanced in their place.

* Compiled by The National staff with agency

Usain Bolt's time for the 100m at major championships

2008 Beijing Olympics 9.69 seconds

2009 Berlin World Championships 9.58

2011 Daegu World Championships Disqualified

2012 London Olympics 9.63

2013 Moscow World Championships 9.77

2015 Beijing World Championships 9.79

2016 Rio Olympics 9.81

2017 London World Championships 9.95

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Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income

Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.

Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process

In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.

In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.

To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation

 

 

 

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

War and the virus
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ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.