SYLHET, Bangladesh // The UAE did not so much fluff their lines on their return to cricket’s big stage for the first time in 18 years, as drop the script entirely.
The national team crumbled under the pressure on their World Twenty20 debut, with the six-wicket loss to the Netherlands betraying old failings that the successes of the past two years had mostly papered over.
They lost wickets in clusters, dropped catches and let cheap runs pass them by. This was not the way it was supposed to be.
Qualification for three global competitions in the space of 13 months had provided reason to believe UAE cricket was genuinely ready to mix it with the best. With the glare of expectation at its height, this was unquestionably a reality check.
Aaqib Javed, the UAE coach, acknowledged on the eve of the competition that the prospect of playing in front of big crowds and a televised audience was something that would affect his players.
Khurram Khan, the long-serving captain, reckoned that was no excuse for an abject display in the field.
“I don’t think it was big match nerves,” he said. “The fielding has been a concern for the last few games. It was a trend that we dropped catches in the previous match as well.
“That is still the main problem. We gave too many chances in the field, dropped too many catches and, in the end, we paid for that.
“I thought 150 on this wicket would be a good target but you have to bowl well and take your catches.”
The captain suggested their total with the bat was also 25 runs short of par. Their hopes of a more significant total essentially hinged on the departure of Khurram and Swapnil Patil, both of whom were well set, in Tom Cooper’s first over.
The selection of Cooper, the Australia-born all-rounder, had been controversial after he was rushed into the Netherlands squad as an injury replacement at late notice.
Tim Gruijters, whom he replaced, claims he had been bullied into a fitness test by the Dutch management, even though he was fit to play.
Gruijters released a statement via YouTube on the morning of the game saying he had been forced to have a scan on an existing back injury.
The Netherlands had used the results of the scan as the evidence required by the ICC to grant a squad amendment.
“It is clear that the Dutch coaching staff decided to misuse the rules, hoodwink the ICC, and get Tom Cooper in for me,” Gruiters said.
“It’s a disgrace, it’s a cheat and I would like to state that I do not want to be part of it.”
After the game, the ICC said the issue was closed. A statement said: “We are satisfied that the [Dutch cricket association] acted within the ICC’s tournament rules during this process.”
Despite arriving the day before the game on a flight from Australia, Cooper responded with a man-of-the-match display, adding an unbeaten 34 to his two key wickets.
“I was just fortunate to get the call up, I just prepared the way I would do for any other game,” Cooper said. “It would have been silly to put any added pressure on myself after something like that.”
Peter Borren, the Netherlands captain, acknowledged the timing of Gruijters’ statement was a distraction for his team.
“It was never an issue that Tom would vindicate his selection because he is a fantastic all-round cricketer,” Borren said.
“It is an unfortunate thing to have happened to Tim.
“I’m sure he’s very disappointed about it, but this week is a big week for cricket and in some ways it was a distraction.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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