Zayed Cricket Academy to begin new season with 12-week junior programme in September

The UAE's budding cricketers can improve their skills at the Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub

Zayed Cricket Academy will begin the new season in September with a 12-week junior programme. Photo: Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub

Zayed Cricket Academy (ZCA) is preparing for its 2023-24 campaign, which will begin September 4 at Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub (ADCSH), with a 12-week Term 1 programme.

Programme registrations are now open with a 10 per cent discounted Eid early bird offer running until July 3. ZCA programmes have also been expanded, with the academy now operating seven days a week.

"We are stepping up our programmes to engage more budding athletes, both girls and boys, in the exciting sport of cricket, from junior levels, while ensuring elite players can progress their talent and ambitions and hopefully go on to represent Team Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s national teams,” said Matt Boucher, CEO, ADCSH.

"Our Academy members can be assured of world-class coaching and the very best of playing and competition opportunities. ZCA has made significant improvements over the last year and now has a very clear and structured pathway program - for both boys and girls starting from the age of six through to 19. We have fine-tuned our performance pathway to ensure it delivers a community-focused fun-first environment for all.

“We have been extremely encouraged by last year’s success which saw over 250 youngsters, including 25 girls play cricket at ZCA. Our girls programme has been expanded for the coming season with the aim of having a female team represented in the Team Abu Dhabi campaign by the end of next year.”

ZCA is one of the UAE's premier cricket academies and continues to provide opportunities for the country's young players. This was highlighted last season with the launch of ADCSH’s Player Pathway Programme, which provides players in the capital a route from grassroots cricket through to the UAE senior national teams.

Multiple academy players have gone on to represent the UAE in age group cricket. Ethan D'Souza – a 17-year-old who has been at ZCA since he was seven – made his Under-19 bow earlier this year before graduating to the UAE senior team. D'Souza made his national debut against the West Indies before earning a call-up to the UAE's ICC World Cup Qualifying campaign in Zimbabwe.

ZCA hopefuls start from Under-6 and progress up to the Under-19s, while there are adult cricket opportunities beyond with Team Abu Dhabi.

ZCA staff can be contacted on [e-mail] to provide advice on the best programme for interested youngsters while those interested in signing up for the academy can do so via https://booking.abudhabicricket.ae.