DUBAI // The career renaissance of Graeme Hick, the former England batsman, will continue in January when he turns out for the Lord's Taverners. The Zimbabwe-born batsman scored 41,112 runs in his 25-year career before hanging up his bat at the end of last summer. However, shortly after announcing his retirement from the first-class game, Hick opted to take up a lucrative contract with the Chandigarh Lions in the rebel Twenty20 Indian Cricket League (ICL).
He is unlikely to play competitively again in England - due to sanctions against the ICL contracted players - but he is a welcome addition to the London-based charity side's ranks when they play at a venue yet to be decided. Hick's firepower will be vital to the Taverners as they attempt to break even in their long-running series with the UAE domestic team, Fly Emirates. Emirates, who consist of many of the UAE national team's top players, have been so dominant in their matches with the Taverners in the past that the charity side usually field an XI made up of first-class cricketers. Hick will bolster a line-up which is also likely to include the former England captain Mike Gatting, as well as the new-ball trio Darren Gough, Andy Caddick and Devon Malcolm. The fixtures will also take on added significance for the home side.
Emirates are due to be pitted in the eight-team ProArch Trophy in March, where they will face six of England's top county sides, plus the full UAE side. They are believed to have dismissed the chance to bring in a variety of big players from the subcontinent to strengthen their side. pradley@thenational.ae
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Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
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Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
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Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
THE SPECS
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Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
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Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
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Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
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Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
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The specs
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Friday's schedule in Madrid
Men's quarter-finals
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Roger Federer (4) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 7pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Alexander Zverev (3) from 9.30pm
Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11.30pm
Women's semi-finals
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The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
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A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile
