Dubai: It was an emotional occasion for the Fly Emirates team. It was their last match on the DCC turf ground that they had built to help popularise the game. The ground will be demolished in two days.
Fly Emirates had won the first ever match on this wicket on February 12, 1998. They beat British Airways to lift the Airlines Cup.
Yesterday's victory was also a farewell gift from the players to Leroy Lindsay, the general secretary of their team and the executive member of the Dubai Cricket Council (DCC), who will leave Emirates Airlines this year.
Lindsay had played a pivotal role in shaping up this team into a strong side and also in the creation of these two turf grounds.
"I am proud of my boys. They played hard to gift me this victory. It has been a great season for us having won the NMC trophy and Emirates Cup.
"We are in the semifinals of the Bukhatir league and if we win it too, I cannot ask for anything else," he said.
"I thank all my senior players Khuram Khan, Javed Esmail, Murali Sockalingam and Kashif Khan, the Emirates management for their support, the team managers Desmond Rodrigues, Javed Farooq and Ameen Farooq for transforming this team into a top class team," he said.
Lindsay also announced that his team will be flying off to England to play against Lords Taverners on June 16.
Leroy had also served the DCC for 12 years. "I thank them for taking me into their ranks and allowing me to be part of this gentleman's game. I wish them all the best," he said.
