In a land of desert, only the most optimistic of cricket fans could believe that one day the UAE would have several international grass pitches. But even in the early days of the country’s history, cricket made its presence felt.
Street cricketers played on whatever level patch of ground they could find, while in the 1960s, British army officers in Sharjah took to the runways of the airport for impromptu games.
Sharjah too, was to host several important matches in the early 1980s. Sharjah businessman and cricketing patron Abdul Rahman Bukhatir effectively funded the construction of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium during this time, and games in the emirate attracted thousands, particularly from South Asian workers living in the Arabian Gulf.
In 1981, India and Pakistan squared off, while in March 1983, an England side, on their return journey from Australia, took on a Pakistan XI.
In this photo, taken by renowned cricket photographer Patrick Eagar, English players, from left, Derek Pringle, Allan Lamb, David Gower and Robin Jackman, visit a camel race during their visit.
So successful were these matches that in 1984 Sharjah Cricket Stadium hosted its first officially recognised one-day international between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
* John Dennehy
