DCC official hoping against hope

Dubai: Hayat Yar Khan, the secretary of the Dubai Cricket Council (DCC), is hoping against hope.

"We have written a letter to the Rulers Office, stating that cricket is a game played by all nationalities and that we need land allotted to us in order to create six grounds," said Khan.

"If the land requested can be allotted by June, we can make sabkha (sand) grounds and create cement wickets in two months. We can then begin our new season," he said.

When asked why the DCC did not react in time, Khan said, "We knew, nearly four years ago, that this ground would be taken away from us. We had requested the DCC chairman and vice-chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, Abdulrehman Falaknaz, to look into the matter. Unfortunately, nothing happened."

According to Khan, these grounds were available to the common man. "All the cricket clubs in the UAE are disappointed. The Dubai Cricket Council supplies majority of the players to the UAE senior and junior teams."

When asked why the DCC could not purchase land and build grounds, Khan said: "Land cannot be purchased for sport in Dubai. It has to be allotted by the Ruler's Office. No one else can help us out. Not even the government, the municipality or even the ICC.

"If land is given, the clubs and companies are willing to extend their support and create grounds," said Khan.