DUBAI // Chirag Suri was afforded some rare game time in UAE national team colours on Thursday as he steps up his preparations for his trip to the Indian Premier League next month.
The 22-year-old student, who has been signed by IPL franchise Gujarat Lions, opened the batting for ECB Blues, the UAE’s second string, against an Essex XI at ICC Academy in Dubai.
Suri made 22 from 43 balls as his side lost by four wickets to one of the variety of UK professional teams who are touring the UAE at present.
Ravi Bopara, the England batsman who played for Karachi Kings in the PSL here last month, scored 91 not out as the touring side, who included some Dubai-based schoolboys to bolster their numbers, chased 240 to win.
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On the other side of Dubai Sports City, the UAE senior team were simultaneously playing against a senior Essex XI.
They lost, having been bowled out for 124. Alastair Cook, the former England captain, made just two for Essex, before he was out lbw to Rohan Mustafa’s off spin.
A day earlier, the national team had lost out to the South, an English select XI preparing for a new series in the UAE, even though Shaiman Anwar and Mustafa both scored centuries.
The matches served as a warm up for the UAE ahead of their series against Papua New Guinea at the start of April, and also for the South team, who face the North in Dubai today in the first of three matches.
The series of matches between players from the UK’s northern counties against one drawn from the southern sides is an updated version of an old concept.
According to Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket who is in Dubai, the pre-season competition is part of their planning ahead of the World Cup in two years time.
“The North-South series is directly related to our ambitions to win the 2019 World Cup,” Strauss, the former England captain, said.
“It is a real priority. We have this incredible opportunity to host a World Cup on home soil.
“If we want to do well in that tournament I think there is a real recognition, right through the game in our country, that we have to do things very differently to how we have done them in the past.
“We need to broaden the base of players who are possibly international white-ball cricketers.
FIXTURES:
North v South
■ Friday, 10am, Dubai International Stadium
■ Sunday, 2pm, Dubai International Stadium
■ Tuesday, 10am, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
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