ICC World Cup Qualifier in doubt

The UAE's right to host next year's ICC World Cup Qualifier is in doubt because of delays importing native soils.

Malcolm Thorpe, of Dubai Sports City, points to the main cricket stadium that can accommodate 25,000 people during a tour of Dubai Sports city.

The UAE's right to host next year's ICC World Cup Qualifier was in doubt last night because of an ambitious plan to replicate batting conditions from around the cricketing world. Dubai Sports City (DSC) proposed to import native soils from the various cricketing nations for its academy cricket fields. However, last night the scheme was on the point of backfiring when it emerged that delays in securing permits to import the soils meant some of the pitches would not be ready in time for the tournament.

The result could be that next April's 12-team tournament, which will decide the final four places for the 2011 World Cup, could be moved to another country. Now the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has lodged a request with the ICC, the game's Dubai-based rulers, to postpone the event, possibly until the final quarter of 2009. The ICC yesterday would not comment until it had reached a decision. Hosting the tournament requires the provision of six grass venues. While Sharjah Cricket Stadium, the Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and the Al Dhaid Cricket Village are all functioning, the academy ovals at DSC are not.

The main 25,000-seater stadium is almost certain to be ready by January, but DSC has only just secured a permit to import soil from Australia for the outside grounds. Macky Dudhia, the general manager for sports business at DSC, said: "We are trying to take a cutting edge approach to the cricket facilities, in terms of importing soil. "We have the Pakistani soil, but it has taken us a long time to get the permit for the Australian soil. That has just now been approved.

"We are busy getting the tonnage out of the ground in Australia so we can get it shipped out here. "Whether we got the soil in on time was touch and go, as well as having all the grass growing properly. "We felt that to do all that by April, might be a big challenge. We don't want a situation where the soil came in late and the grass wasn't ready." Postponing the tournament would be a source of embarrassment for the ICC. They have already had to delay one major tournament, the Champions Trophy, for a year due to a disagreement among members over the safety of the host country, Pakistan.

This would be an even greater blow, given that DSC is right on the doorstep of its own headquarters. The ICC is set to decide "over the coming weeks" whether the UAE will retain the hosting rights, or if it will be moved to another country. Bangladesh, which is one of the four host nations for the 2011 World Cup, is the likely reserve if the tournament remains scheduled for April. If the UAE does lose out it will also be a blow for the national team. They are bidding to qualify for their first World Cup since 1996.

Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, Netherlands, Scotland, Oman, Namibia and Denmark are the other confirmed sides in the event, with two more to enter via the ICC World Cricket League Division Three. @Email:[e-mail]