The International Cricket Council (ICC) will be packing its bags and heading off to pastures new, namely Dubai, later this year. Yet, whilst it marvels at the prospect of its lavish surroundings of its new home, thousands of ordinary cricket lovers in the UAE look set to miss out!
Old Father Time’s Innings comes to an End.
Moving from its spiritual homes of Lords and not so spiritual home of Monaco was not an easy one, but one which was made easier by Dubai’s authorities, who are footing over half of the relocation costs of the impending move. They also estimate to save up to $2m a year due to the competitive tax structure of Dubai.
It’s new home, Dubai Sports City, is just another project in a long line of Dubai’s staggering audacious schemes - costing $2.5 billion and sprawling over 50 million square feet of desert. Once finished it will feature the first purpose-built Manchester United Soccer School anywhere in the world, a David Lloyd Tennis Academy and a Butch Harmon School of Golf.
What’s more the ICC plan a $25 million Global Cricket Academy at the Dubai Sports City and there are already plans afoot for a AED 300 million Cricket stadium in the heart of the city.
However, whilst the opulence of the ICC knows no bounds, ordinary cricket lovers in Dubai suddenly find themselves without a place to play and the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) is on the verge of civil war!
DCC Run Out Of Town
Despite the wealth currently circulating within the confines of the ICC and the ECB, Dubai cricket suddenly finds itself without a home. The Dubai Cricket Council (DCC), which stages about 500 matches every year at its headquarters in Al Jadaf, have had to vacate their premises last month after an eviction notice was given by the Dubai Muncipality last year.
Hundreds of players are left without a place to play and fans are not happy. One such angry cricket lover vented its fury directly at the ICC when speaking to Kaleej Times: “Now the ball is in their court. They (ICC) have to move from their chair and go to the many clubs. They are not here to attend parties”
ECB on the Back Foot
To add further to the embarrassment of cricket chiefs in the region, it was also revealed in the aftermath of the Dubai premises fiasco, that whilst the ECB was supported to the tune of AED 1.76m by the ICC, the various bodies that run cricket in the seven emirates saw not a single penny!
Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) chief selector and team manager Abdul Razzaq Kazim is demanding answers: “During the last 10 years, the executive members of the board have met only thrice. And not once has an audit been done. Nor has there been a meeting of the finance committee. Cricketing matters are being handled in a most unprofessional manner. Where’s all the money going?”
Kazim continued his diatribe adding in reference to finding new grounds in Dubai: “The ECB can buy some land and prepare four or five grounds where cricketing activities can be organised. But nobody seems interested!”
Who Will Bail Out Dubai Cricket?
With no one intent on taking the initiative, cricket in Dubai appears to be somewhat in limbo. It remains to be seen whether or not the DCC can survive out of the ashes of these two major setbacks.
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