Gulf Cup to Feature 56 Teams

UAE’s leading academies, clubs, schools, colleges and corporate teams are scheduled to contest the tournament to be held in four venues — Shaikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, Delhi Private School in Sharjah and Jebel Ali, and Zabeel Park in Dubai.

The top performers in the tournament will get a chance to play against English County champions Durham during their Abu Dhabi tour in April.

While announcing the launch of the tournament at the Copthrone Hotel in Deira on Tuesday evening, Nalin Khaitan, director, Interface Transworld, said: “As the title sponsors, Interface aims to play a pivotal role in driving the game of cricket in this part of the world.”

The tournament, organised by Young Talents Cricket Academy, will be played under the auspices of the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council.

Chief organiser and former UAE player Shahzad Altaf said: “The tournament will have matches under several age categories, including Under-10, 12, 14, 16 and 18.

“This time we have two Inter-collegiate categories — Elite Cup and Challenger Cup.”

Elite Cup features the same eight teams which participated last year, while new eight teams will contest for the Challenger Cup.

A team from South Africa — Feedem Western Cape — is participating in the Under-12 and 14 team categories.

Besides, a new category for corporate teams was added as an additional feature to the tournament, which started in 2003.

“The teams will be battling for eight winners’ trophies. There will be a total of 118 matches during the one-month period,” said Manish Dhakan, tournament director.

“The two teams to be played against Durham will be selected after carefully reviewing the performances of players in the university, corporate and Under-18 tournaments.”

Interface Transworld is the title sponsors, while Nissan Tiida and Cool & Cool are the co-sponsors.

Khaleej Times, Copthrone Hotel, Everest Sports and Oudh Al Anfar are the support sponsors.

Over the years, the Gulf Cup not only produced exciting matches, but quality players as well. Four players who participated in the early editions of the tournament have recently got an opportunity to represent their national teams in the ICC Under 19 World Cup, the organisers said.

Andri Berenger, who represented the YTCA in the 2003 Gulf Cup, played for Sri Lanka U-19, while Rameez Aziz, who played in the 2005 edition for Customs Academy, was a member of the Pakistan U-19 team.

Ben Stokes, who participated in the 2005 tournament for Durham CCC, recently played for England in the youth World Cup. Jamie Atkinson, who played for Durham in 2005, represented the Hong Kong U-19 team.

Live scoring and updates for all the matches will be available on the web site, www.young-talent.com, the organisers added.

Teams

Under 10: DPS YTCA, Al Sadiq YTCA, Delhi Private School, Sharjah; Insportz Club, Westminster YTCA


Under 12: Al Sadiq YTCA, Delhi Private School, Sharjah; Desert Cubs Cricket Academy, Feedem Western Cape, G Force Cricket Academy, Westminster YTCA, Zayed Cricket Academy, Emirates Cricket Training, Dubai


Under 14: DPS YTCA, Al Sadiq YTCA, Desert Cubs Cricket Academy, Feedem Western Cape, G Force Cricket Academy, Insportz Club, Sherwood Academy, Zayed Cricket Academy


Under 16: Al Sadiq YTCA, Delhi Private School, Dubai; Desert Cubs Cricket Academy, G Force Cricket Academy, Westminster YTCA


Under 18: DPS YTCA, Al Ain Sportplex Academy, Al Fara’a CC, Emirates Cricket Training, Dubai; The Westminster School, Zayed Cricket Academy


Elite Cup: American University in Sharjah, Middlesex University, BITS Pilani, Emirates Aviation College, Heriot Watt University, Mahe Manipal, Skyline College, University of Wollongong in Dubai


Challenger Cup: American University in Dubai, Cambridge University, Dubai, Canadian University in Dubai, IITM Dubai, ITM Dubai, London American City College, Preston University, Ajman, Szabist University


Corporate Cup: Interface, JS Trading Fanatics, Oudh Al Anfar, Rufi Real Estate, Sanyo Gulf FZE, Star Light Real Estate, Vertex Contracting, YTCA Insurance Invitation XI

pradeep@khaleejtimes.com