Schools event to feature 22 teams

Abu Dhabi: The second edition of the Lifebuoy Abu Dhabi inter-school cricket tournament, organised by the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council's Zayed Cricket Academy begins tomorrow. The tournament is being held under the patronage of Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board.

Addressing a press conference in Abu Dhabi yesterday, Dilawar Mani, CEO of Emirates Cricket Board and the Abu Dhabi Cricket Club, said, "An open division has been added to the under 14 and 16 age groups of last year's inaugural event. This is the only way cricket can grow and we are looking to expand this event further."

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Sudhir Kumar Shetty, COO of UAE Exchange Centre, a prominent supporter of schools and youth cricket in Abu Dhabi, said, "We have been supporting the community at the schools level on the cultural and social front and this schools cricket gives us an opportunity to extend it to the sports arena too."

Dayanand Bangera, representing Unilever, title sponsors of the event said, "Our management is very keen to extend this support in future too. Our Corporate Communications Assistant Manager Mustafa Mahdi has said in a message, ‘Through this tournament we want to give children who are passionate about cricket in this region the opportunity to play and enjoy the game."

Giving details of the tournament, Qazi Ayoub, Head coach of Zayed Cricket Academy, said, "The tournament kicks off tomorrow with the Cambridge High School playing Indian Islahi School in the open division at 10.00am followed by the British School-Al Khubairat versus Abu Dhabi Indian School match at 2.00pm, both at the Zayed Stadium."

Sherwood won the under-14 title while British School-Al Khubairat won the under-16 title last year.

"The event has drawn 22 teams in the three divisions and includes 41 matches that extend up to February," Ayoub said.

Under 14 teams: Group A: British School-Al Khubairat, Sherwood-CBSE, And Sherwood British Syllabus. Group B: Abu Dhabi Indian School, Our Own English High School, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Pakistan School.

Under 16 teams: Group A: Abu Dhabi Indian, British School-Al Khubairat, Cambridge, Sherwood. Group B: Indian Islahi, Our Own English, Model School.

Open division: Group A: Abu Dhabi Indian, Cambridge, Indian Islahi, Sunrise. Group B: Al Nahda, British School-Al Khubairat, Emirates Future International, International School of Choueifat, Model.