Sport | Cricket
Priority to spread cricket among UAE nationals
Dilawar Mani, the newly-appointed chief executive officer of the Abu Dhabi Cricket Club, says his priority is to spread the game among UAE nationals and schools while adopting a professional approach in administering the game in the emirate.
- By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 June 4, 2006
Abu Dhabi: Dilawar Mani, the newly-appointed chief executive officer of the Abu Dhabi Cricket Club, says his priority is to spread the game among UAE nationals and schools while adopting a professional approach in administering the game in the emirate.
Mani has been in Abu Dhabi for nearly three decades and is keen to bring in professionals to look into the various technical aspects.
Following are excerpts from an interview with Gulf News.
Gulf News: What will be your immediate focus?
Dilawar Mani: At the Club level, establishment of a focused and action oriented professional organisation, address stadium deficiencies and dilapidation that require corrective actions, liaison with major Cricket Boards for holding international events.
At the Council level, there is a need to consolidate local tournaments, provide on-going coaching and most importantly introduction and development of cricket to UAE nationals at elementary and primary level.
What are the changes that are likely to come about in local cricket?
We will need to rationalise the number of tournaments and matches inside and outside the stadium.
This does not imply reduction of cricket days. In fact it may introduce more if we also consider that Al Ain also needs encouragement to actively participate in games on an inter-city basis as well as have a provision for coaching facilities both for umpires and players. Schools cricket needs to be encouraged by inter-school competition. I foresee the Council addressing the number of tournaments, their format and value-add for the sponsors.
The standard of umpiring and 'favouritism' to a few clubs have been a regular complaint, any move to address these issues?
I have heard some of these complaints and will actively work with the Council to investigate and remove such issues, if they exist.
The turf pitch at Zayed Cricket Stadium came in for some criticism due to heavy use. What will be the new policy on the number of matches to be played there by local teams?
Yes, you are correct in stating that the stadium wickets were over-used, I am advised that over a 140 games were played there in the last season.
There is a need to consolidate tournaments, play most games on the outside wickets and then perhaps host the semifinals and final at the stadium.
The Council will have to develop a sensible format which balances usage and allows for recovery of the pitches.
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