[ad_1]
Abu Dhabi players celebrate with their trophy after winning the final.
Gulf Today, our reporter
Team Abu Dhabi (TAD) won their first ECB U19 Emirates League title since 2015 with a 15-point victory over their Ajman rivals in Sunday’s final. Batting first, TAD was 264-9 in 50 overs thanks to a half-century from opener Yayin Rai and captain Ethan D’Souza.
The duo hit 185 for the third wicket before D’Souza (89 off 121 balls) went off and Rai ended up hitting 112 off 124 balls – 10 fours and three overs along the way. Six runs — until he was sacked in the 46th inning.
Rai and D’Souza were also instrumental in defending the total, with Rai finishing 4-43, the tournament’s top scorer (335 points) and second-highest 3-point scorer (9 points).
D’Souza, a Zayed Cricket Academy protégé who represented TAD in the Abu Dhabi T10s and UAE U19s, finished second behind Rai for the overall scorer and ended with two late wickets of his own. For the win, Yash Punja also had his 2-51 cut.
It was a perfect end to the tournament for TAD, who maintained a perfect record after winning all three in the group stage, culminating in the final.
This is TAD’s second win in the competition. It was the inaugural ECB U19 Inter-Emirates Championship in 2015 and Abu Dhabi Cricket Board cricket operations manager Mervyn Pereira is hoping for more success from his teenage years.
“Everyone at Abu Dhabi Cricket Board is very proud of our U19 team, especially considering most of our kids have just come through from U16,” Pereira said.
“With a wealth of up-and-coming talent coming out of the UAE capital, it’s safe to say cricket in Abu Dhabi is safe and has an exciting future. Our new team, Road to Abu Dhabi
“The program will further serve the development of these players and we have paid great attention to the development that will shape them as talented cricketers and human beings.”
D’Souza said that although the team was the underdog of the tournament, it was buoyed by the tremendous confidence instilled by the coaching staff.
“Despite individual performances, everyone on the team raised their hand at different stages of the tournament and our team ethic made us a real force,” he explained.
“We’ve put in an incredible amount of effort in development over the past two years and we’ve been doing really well in the patch, but all the hard work has paid off and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this team.”
The Abu Dhabi Center for Cricket and Sports (ADCSH), where the Zayed Cricket Academy is located, also expressed appreciation for the team’s efforts and possible future impact.
“These young players are helping to take cricket in Abu Dhabi, the UAE and the wider region to a whole new level,” commented Matt Boucher, CEO of Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports Centre. Facilities and talent can drive personal and community development that will impact the future of the sport and wider community spirit in the region. “
[ad_2]
Source link